Bulawayo – The corner of 11th Avenue and Josiah Tongogara Street in Bulawayo is a familiar sight for many commuters and locals alike. It’s a bustling hub of activity, a microcosm of the city’s vibrant energy, where vendors hawk their wares, taxis jostle for passengers, and the aroma of roasted maize fills the air. But for one man, Zibusiso Sibanda, this corner represents a stark reality, a far cry from the dreams he carried across the Limpopo River 25 years ago.
Sibanda, now 45, is a familiar face in this bustling corner, not for his entrepreneurial spirit or his vibrant personality, but for his simple task: washing cars. He is one of a handful of men who have found a meagre living in this corner, offering their services to those seeking a quick car wash or a safe haven for their vehicles in the city’s crowded streets.
His story is a poignant reminder of the harsh realities that often accompany the pursuit of a better life. Sibanda left Bulawayo in 1998, his heart filled with aspirations inspired by the tales of those who had returned from South Africa with their pockets lined and their lives transformed. He dreamt of a life of prosperity, a life where the hum of powerful sound systems in sleek cars with GP and LP number plates would be a constant soundtrack.
But fate, it seems, had other plans. Sibanda’s journey was fraught with challenges, his hopes dashed against the unforgiving realities of a foreign land. He found himself caught in a cycle of precarious jobs and legal troubles, his dreams of a better life replaced by the harsh realities of prison walls.
“When I got to South Africa I started doing various jobs including working in restaurants. Lady Lucky was, however, not really been smiling at me often as I was always in and out of prison for things like not having proper documentation among others. I couldn’t keep the many jobs that I got owing to the arrests and detention,” he recounted, his voice tinged with a mixture of resignation and despair.
The turning point came in the final years of his stay, when he was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property. “The last straw that cracked my back was in the last few years of my stay. I was found with what was suspected to be stolen property. I couldn’t account for it through receipts and I was arrested and placed on remand for several years,” he explained.
He was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison, a sentence that he believes shattered his life. His parents, who had remained in their family home in Magwegwe North, passed away while he was behind bars.
“When I left the country, my mother and father were staying at our family house in Magwegwe North. I later benefited from a parole that would see me getting out of prison and being deported last year. When I got back, I was informed that my mother had passed on in 2019 and my father the following year in 2020. I was told that when my father fell ill in 2020 he sold the house. So when I came, I had nowhere to stay and I had nothing on me since I was coming from prison. I then opted to stay on the streets behind Bulawayo Central Police Station,” he said, his voice heavy with the weight of his loss.
The harsh realities of his situation are contrast to the dreams he carried with him when he left Bulawayo all those years ago. His journey is a reminder of the challenges faced by many Zimbabweans who seek a better life beyond their borders. The allure of a prosperous life in South Africa, often fuelled by tales of success and the sight of gleaming cars with foreign number plates, can be a powerful motivator. But for many, the reality is far more complex, a harsh struggle against poverty, discrimination, and legal challenges.
