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Thomas Deve

Entertainment Reporter
Arts critic, human rights activist and veteran journalist Thomas Deve has died.
He was 52. Deve died in the early hours of Sunday at his home in Zimre Park due to as yet an undisclosed illness.

His sister Barbara Deve described the death as a big loss not only to the family but also to the arts fraternity.

“This is a trying moment for the family as we mourn the death of a father figure and intellectual. He was always there for the family and would make sure things went well for everyone,” he said.

Theatre guru Daves Guzha of Rooftop Promotions said he learnt the death of his friend with deep sadness.

“Deve was a friend, advisor, voice of reason, strategic thinker, ally. Did you have to go so soon? You ran an amazing race and stood firmly and resolutely in your belief . . . a true social justice hero. I am pained. The many memories we shared together from the formative years at Bernard Mzeki and finding each other in Harare,” Guzha said.

Jonathan Banda, who was with Deve at a show held at the Book Cafe, said death had robbed the arts industry of one of the resource persons.

“We were together at the Transit Crew show and when we left the show he sent me a WhatsApp text saying he had arrived home safely. However, I was shocked when his wife called to say he had passed on hours later,” he said.

Deve was an anti-poverty campaigner based in Zimbabwe. He has worked for the Southern Africa Political and Economic Monthly, the Zimbabwe Mirror, The Express and the Daily News.

He also served as the board chair of the Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) at a time when the country imposed the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Broadcasting Services Act, laws s0me said curtailed the operations and freedoms of the media.

He was employed by the United Nations Millennium Campaign as the Southern Africa regional co-ordinator.

Burial arrangements are still to be finalised but it is likely to be tomorrow.

Mourners are gathered at house number 7982 Chita Road, Zimre Park.

Deve is survived by his wife Bernadette and four children.

In another matter, Zimbabwean hip-hop legend and pioneer Hechichamunorwa Mount Zion Kwenda — better known as Mizchif — passed away over the weekend at the age of 38.

Kwenda, born June 23, 1976, was purported to have been the first to independently release a solo hip hop album in South Africa and was also allegedly the first in the country to perform hip hop with a live band. The South Africa based Mizchif collapsed on a bus en route to Zimbabwe where his family lived. KGB said he was working with the artist on a current project entitled “Still a legend”.

In his heyday Mizchif presented hip hop news on Yfm and was a video jockey on Nasty, a hip hop show on Channel O.

Musically his most memorable offering was a hit single “International” and a collaboration in 2001 with Mavusana from kwaito group Oda Meeste, for the album Summertime on Ghetto Ruff records.

His album Supernatural (My Return), was released in September 2003 and was nominated for the Best Hip Hop Album at the 2003 South African Music Awards.

Mizchif was expected to appear at a music event called “End of the Weak” where he was supposed to judge a hip hop/rap battle. KGB said the event would go on and proceeds from the show would be sent to Mizchief’s family in Zimbabwe.