Sello Motseta
18th March 2021
Without his arms and full of life Zimbabwean amputee Gift Ncube, who arrived in Botswana as an illegal immigrant and shot to infamy after being shot by an irate employer over a pay dispute for debushing a ploughing field at Diphateng lands near Radisele is enjoying his formative years.
Ncube now spends a lot of time in pristine shopping malls playing music from a keyboard he bought from an out of court settlement secured by his nemesis and now friend Keitumetse Khunou.
He is slowly getting accustomed to living without his arms after being shot four times and amputating them on doctor’s orders. He is now collecting money for artificial arms costing P250,000.00 to improve his well being. He has also found love after his long time lover left him abruptly.
“She just left. She could not live like a beggar and went back to her mother’s place,” said Ncube.
He said, “I have learnt to do things for myself over time. I am able to talk to people and use my brain to make things happen.”
Ncube who had crossed the border illegally into Botswana looking for economic opportunities because of the deteriorating economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, worked casually on piece meal jobs and suffered the misfortune of being compelled to cut his arms following doctors orders.
“I work up in hospital in Mahalapye at night in extreme pain. Doctor told me none of the views in my arms have blood. They said they needed to cut my arms,” revealed Ncube.
Ncube who had been unconscious for 16 days spent 6 months in hospital at expense of the Botswana Government because he and no money. He also spent a long period battling with his former employer in court before reaching an out of court settlement where he was given P130,000.00 in installments, 20 goats and 8 cattle. He also got the house with 10 rooms where he was brutally shot.
3 years on he waits for transfer of the house and may have to sell the land because foreigners cannot own tribal property. His lawyer who are helping him pro bono are handling the issue.
Ncube was supposed to receive P2000 per 100 hectare for debushing an area totaling 200 hectares. He was also expected to receive a bicycle for clearing half a hectare.
“I called him to tell him I had finished the job. He said he saw it yesterday. I will give you money at house tomorrow. He did not come on time and I was asked to move out of his house,” said Ncube.
He said, “Later he asked me to collect money from a third party. I did not have taxi money to go to him.”
The landlord subsequently took all Ncube’s belongings and put them outside the house. He also offered to pay him P200 and the balance when the money was available. Ncube advised his former landlord and employer that he could not leave his house without his money.
“He told me that I am just a Zimbabwean and he could call Police for me, so that they could arrest me because I was in the country illegally. I reminded him that he would also be in trouble for employing him despite knowing he did not have proper papers,” said Ncube.
He said, “I should go wherever I want to go and went to car and left.”
A few days later his employer returned armed with a shot gun and shot him four times missing his head after he ducked. He shot at close range with the bullets left lodged in Ncube’s body. His bloody body would be taken to hospital by Police and all his friends ran away as soon as the shooting began.
Ncube revealed, “He left me for dead and told his wife he had killed me. He allegedly left home and was in the process of committing suicide when police used his wife to call him and arrest him before he had been able to take his own life. He did not know his wife was with the Police at the time.”
After a long period of care at hospital Ncube was adopted by a Motswana lady following advertisements and a screening process undertaken by Office of the President. Nametso Nkarabang a 37 year old woman, looked after him briefly whilst he rented a 2 roomed house in Tsholomosese.
“She was taking me to companies collecting donations. They were giving my help but money was not reaching me,” said Ncube. He said, “When I realized that she was using me I reported her to Foreign Affairs and they decided to end her relationship as my guardian.”
Ncube who has 2 kids he looks after with his current girlfriend, decided to help himself and work alone.
“I cannot remove my clothes or go to the toilet myself if she is not there. She therefore cannot work,” said Ncube of his new love bird.
With counselling from elders at Winners Chapel he has learnt to overcome his bitterness. He now enjoys cordial relations with his former employer who has never talked to media about his side of the story.
“There is nothing i can say. If you want to discuss anything on the matter talk to my lawyer,” said a guarded Keitumetse Khunou. He had initially expressed a willingness to talk.
Ncube provided notoriety by Botswana’s vibrant press was able to get a passport with the help of the Zimbabwean Embassy in Botswana. He envisions buying 2 shipping container and starting a sowing business and making and selling clothes to enhance his economic fortunes.
A willing recipient of incessant media attention unlike his tormenter who continues to shun interviews with the media. Ncube has rediscovered his mojo and apparently has many reasons to be content. This is despite the challenges he continues to experience irking out an existence in the COVID-19 period.
“My client wants closure and notes a lot of untruthful things have been written about him. We have no comment,” said Kgololesogo Segabo of Segabo Attorneys.
