Bulawayo comedian bashed over 'dry joke'

Bulawayo comedian Zex Mdawini Sibanda was reportedly assaulted last week on a Zupco bus after he joked about lodgers in a manner which did not go down well with some of the passengers.

Sibanda throws jokes in public while recording them before circulating the audios or videos on social media platforms.

Most of his jokes have gone viral, but last Thursday it was a different story altogether when the comic tried to entertain passengers travelling to Old Pumula, his residential area.

In one of the audios, Sibanda could be heard saying: "Hallo, eh Gumede, NguMdawini ulandlord wakho. Bengisithi izolo laphana ngikunika ama articles of co-existing rules and regulations, ezokuhlala koMdawini residence, ngikhohlwe umthetho oyione, ngicela ukungezelela. Wena irent oyibhadalayo ngeyomduli, letoilet, lamanzi lamagetsi fullstop. Kumafruits awungeni. Ngithi ezihlahleni zami zamagwava lamamengo awungeni Gumede. Ngoba wabhadalela ukuzohlala awubhadalelanga ukuzokudla, ngilamanga?," which could loosely be translated to say: "Hello Gumede, it's Mdawini your landlord. I was saying yesterday when I gave you the articles of co-existing, rules and regulations for residing at Mdawini residence, I forgot one rule I want to add it. The rent that you are paying is for the walls, toilet, water and electricity. You must not touch my fruit trees. I mean my guava and mango trees, you must not touch, because you paid for residence, not to eat. Am I lying?)

Sibanda said as he did his antics, it so happened that there was a Gumede on the bus and he and his colleagues felt offended.

The angry Gumede and his friends accused Sibanda of influencing landlords to increase rentals.

"During the show, some three guys started an argument with me saying I influenced their landlords to increase rentals in Pumula," Sibanda said.

"I thought it was all in the name of humour, but one guy who identified himself as Gumede stood up and assaulted me."

Sibanda said he tried to defend himself but was overpowered by the trio and was rescued by other passengers.

However, the comedian said he did not report the matter to the police because the assault was an occupational hazard.

He said his skit was meant to entertain the public and was not personal.