Fresh drug relapse claims rock Zimdancehall star

Zimdancehall artist Blot, born Takura Chiwoniso, is once again the subject of public concern following renewed speculation about his wellbeing, although his family and management maintain that he is dealing with an illness rather than a relapse into substance abuse.

A source close to the musician alleged that concerns about Blot's condition became noticeable as early as April during Seh Calaz's Bhanditi show.

"Blot only arrived at around 5am when the show had already ended, and he looked high," the source claimed.

"It's not the first time this has happened. Sometimes he would only remember on a Tuesday that he had a booking over the weekend.

"He didn't even have a mobile phone. If you wanted to find him, you had to rely on three or four people to locate him."

The source further alleged that Blot's lack of a mobile phone had made communication difficult and reflected some of the personal challenges he has reportedly been facing.

Similar assertions were recently made by the artist's former manager, Tony Bindura, who wrote on social media that although Blot did not own a mobile phone, there were still ways of contacting him.

The latest allegations surfaced only weeks after Blot's mother publicly defended her son following widespread concern over his appearance in videos circulating on social media.

In a video statement, she rejected claims that he had relapsed into substance abuse, saying instead that he was suffering from an unspecified illness.

On Wednesday, Blot's management announced that the musician would be taking a one-month break from live performances because of illness and other private personal matters.

"We regret to inform the public that Blot will not be taking any performance bookings at this time due to illness and other private personal matters. As a result, all scheduled performances between July 10 and August 10 have been cancelled," the statement said.

Management also confirmed that promoters who had already paid deposits for the affected performances would receive full refunds.

The latest developments come less than a year after Blot underwent rehabilitation for substance abuse.

In October last year, he was admitted to Matrix Rehabilitation Centre under a programme facilitated by Prophet Kudakwashe Jose. Following several months of treatment and recovery, he was later discharged.

Despite ongoing speculation on social media, neither Blot nor his management has confirmed reports that he has relapsed into substance abuse.

His management has maintained that he is unwell, while his family has appealed to the public to respect his privacy as he focuses on his health and recovery.