By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – The Masvingo Charles Austin Theatre which became home for many artistes in the province and led to the rise of many artistes is on the verge of extinction after Masvingo City Council issued it with eviction notice.
The theatre is being accused of deserting its main purpose and turning the theatre into a brothel. The city council is in arms up against the artists and residents in the City, blaming them of being overzealous and wanting to bring down a legacy that the artistes built for themselves.
The birth of theatre in Masvingo was brought by the late Dough Hill, who was the pioneer of theatre in the City and died promoting and supporting arts and they are now destroying it. In recent times, the theatre groomed the finest artistes who booked themselves tickets to the Hollywood Hall of Fame and became famous countrywide for the Robert Mugabe play dubbed “Operation Restore Regacy”.
The council issued the lease to the artists in a letter signed by the Acting Town Clerk, Edward Mukaratirwa, which stated resolutions on council’s management meeting held on Tuesday 9 March 2021 which resolved that the theatre had been given a notice period of 3months to vacate the Charles Austin Theatre premises that is 1 April to June 2021.
“You are therefore required to win up your activities by 30 June 2021. The premises will be advertised for leasing through a tender and you are encouraged to participate,” read part of the letter.
Responding to the lease that was issued out to the theatre, artists showed that they were not going to be moved by the lease.
Sydney Taivavashe, a guru in the film industry, who was even recognized in Hollywood stated that, “From the Charles Austin Theatre to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, l wish to see more artists benefitting from this place that is why l say no to the Masvingo City Council’s move to take over the place.
“They will destroy it, it is in their nature to destroy and we will not allow that, we deserve better, let us dream big in an environment that support our vision: please do not destroy our legacy.” Despite creating a strong theatre for artists, the City Council feels it is necessary to kick us out,” he said.
Chairperson of the Charles Austin Theatre, Charles Munganasa dismissed the alleged allegations being laid against them of turning the theatre into a brothel.
“The allegations are false, the theatre is not a brothel but we are there to uplift each other as artists, the Town Clerk is assuming that where ever we gather as youths we are doing acts of immorality. He does not have evidence to support what he is talking about. The theatre has groomed so many artists and the council should cherish us for the good we have done as we have produced the very best artists such as Belinda Potsi current Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Garry Mapanzure, and Tedious Marezvavana among others,” he said.
Munganasa said that the council has to open up and state to them where they breached the contract the two have and take it from there.
