Actress Anne Nhira, who fought for Zodwa to be banned from Zim, dies

An actress who got Zodwa Wabantu banned from Zimbabwe by the late president Robert Mugabe in 2017 on Wednesday night succumbed to injuries sustained in an attack by robbers in Bedfordview, Johannesburg.

Zimbabwean-born Anne Nhira, 38, had a cameo role in the soapie Zabalaza playing the part of an illegal Malawian immigrant working as a hairdresser. She also featured in the 2016 film Mutual Friends.

Her brother, Julian Nhira, in a statement said, “She sustained injuries on her chest area, rib cage and back during a robbery on Monday afternoon.”

In August 2017 Nhira found herself at loggerheads with Zodwa Wabantu when she single-handedly lobbied the government of Zimbabwe to block her from performing at the Harare International Carnival.

Nhira argued that Zodwa was over hyped and didn’t deserve the attention she was getting.

“We have one of the highest unemployment rates and whatever Zodwa, a SA provocateur who is not even one of the top socialites in SA is [sic] getting paid could have gone to another young Zimbabwean woman who has worked tirelessly and does so decently, or a dancer if the intention was that particular?” she said then.

In support of Nhira, Mugabe said, “I'm sorry we disappointed many men. You just come without covering your decency. What do you want? Men to see you? We don't want such.”

Asked for a comment by TshisaLIVE about Nhira’s death, Zodwa declined.