A twenty-two-year-old man from Victoria Falls, Methembe Ncube, tragically took his own life on Sunday evening by making use of twisted shoelaces to hang himself from a tree located near a local school, contributing to Zimbabwe’s growing epidemic of suicide deaths.
News of his unfortunate passing surfaces as the country continues to experience a debilitating economic crisis, leaving many citizens struggling to sufficiently provide for themselves and their families.
Prior to his death, Ncube, who resided in the Mfelandawonye suburb and maintained a separate dwelling in Ndlovu village, conveyed brief farewell messages to several people. Curiously, he did not reveal the rationale underlying his fateful decision to end his dear life. His lifeless body was eventually discovered by a prayer leader, popularly known as Madzibaba, in the area following a spiritual ceremony held near the school.
Ncube’s relative, Raphael Dube, proclaimed that the precise cause of death remains ambiguous, but stress is heavily suspected of playing a substantial role. The youth maintained a residence with a friend and worked as an operator of vending machines situated within Landela Complex, concurrently serving as a moderator for snooker games hosted at the location. Additionally, he had entrusted savings to an unknown individual who subsequently became unreachable, understandably fueling his concern.
“On Saturday, Methembe’s friend attended an all-night prayer, while he stayed home, which was unusual. The next day, he had breakfast at a relative’s house before taking his life. He left a message for his friend, urging him to be strong. After discovering the message, his friend who was still in church immediately came home, but couldn’t reach him,” Dube said.
Dube said a few hours later they found out that Ncube’s body had been discovered hanging from a tree by a madzibaba.
“He had used his shoelaces, and that is sad because he never showed any signs of stress,” said Dube.
Police took the body to Victoria Falls mortuary. Ncube will be laid to rest in Gwampa village in Lupane on Thursday.
In a separate incident, villagers in Matetsi found the skeletal remains of a man who allegedly hanged himself in a tree along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road. He was wearing an AC Milan hat and it is suspected that he took his life during the rainy season last year or early this year.
The discovery of Ncube’s body and the skeletal remains in Matetsi highlight the grim reality that many Zimbabweans are facing, most citizens are struggling to cope up with the country’s economic challenges and some are simply choosing to end their lives and meet their ancestors prematurely.
