Maimba Mapuranga, the Face of Gems Caught Stealing a Camera at the Sanganai Tourism Expo

Maimba Mapuranga, the person in charge of raising money for Zimbabwe’s national netball team, the Gems, has unexpectedly been caught snatching a camera from a local television crew.

When Mapuranga was the Master of Ceremonies at the esteemed Sanganai Tourism Expo, he committed the ignominious deed.

With his bold heist, Mapuranga demonstrated an alarming lack of awareness in the modern day, as he was unaware that Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were in place.

Authorities quickly examined the CCTV footage after the television team reported the event, revealing Mapuranga’s cunning activities. When first challenged, he angrily denied having anything to do with the theft.

But Mapuranga later admitted to his guilt when the authorities threatened to physically harm him.

Strangely enough, this is the same person that brags about getting Nedbank to sponsor the Gems in the just-finished 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. Journalists were compelled to cover the event at their own expense because of Mapuranga’s actions, which irritated them rather than taking advantage of the sponsorship opportunity to maximise media coverage and promote the Nedbank brand.

Moreover, it is said that Mapuranga prevented Nedbank from supporting journalists, opting instead to invite his girlfriend (name withheld), who was posing as a media professional.

Nedbank thus conveyed their dissatisfaction to the leadership of the Zimbabwe Netball Association (ZINA), who had put their faith in Mapuranga. Nedbank claimed that Mapuranga was undermining the original goal of the sponsorship by drawing focus away from some players who were getting greater media attention.

Mapuranga is now anticipated to secure money for the Gems’ forthcoming African Championships, which are set to take place in Botswana next month, despite these problems. Stakeholders are concerned about his capacity to carry out this duty in an efficient manner in light of this development.

Leticia Chipandu, the president of ZINA, and the media are not just at odds over Mapuranga’s behaviour, but there are also questions regarding his intentions. A few players are said to have withheld information on theft occurrences from their training camp in Harare prior to leaving for South Africa, leading some to theorise that he may have been engaged in robberies from the Gems themselves.

The concerns about Mapuranga’s behaviour are becoming more and more evident, as seen by his dislike of reporters being close to the Gems team during the World Cup. What was it he was trying to hide?

Maimba Mapuranga owes the Gems, the media, and the netball world at large an explanation and an apology for his actions, which have clouded the team’s accomplishments and future plans. The episode is a sobering reminder of Zimbabwean sports organisations’ need for accountable and open leadership.

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