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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Reporter
AWAY from the glitz and glam of modelling and show business, veteran modelling instructor Sipho Mazibuko, well known for her Strides Modelling Academy, has another side of her life.
A busty body in the modelling industry for more than 20 years, Mazibuko has toned down and is now taking care of her house which is called Lavinia Gardens. The picturesque garden with lush green lawns, colourful flowers and a pool has been her baby for the past four years and is the place where she welcomed the Saturday Leisure crew earlier this week.

Ever jovial, Mazibuko revealed that she had a part of her life that she holds dearly, adoption. Some weeks ago, she opened up to followers on Facebook that she had adopted children to stay with her following the death of their parents.

But unknown to many, this is something that has been happening from as far as 2007 when one of her workers at Strides Hair Salon and Boutique asked her to look after her 14-year-old HIV positive daughter in the event she died.

“I adopt children, especially girls. The first that I adopted was 14 years ago and she was 13 then. Unfortunately, she died in my arms last year. She was born HIV positive and her parents died from HIV. Her mother, a good friend of mine, used to work for me.

“She said to me that when she dies, I should take care of her daughter. This was because her family didn’t know (that she was HIV positive) and she said once they discover that her daughter was HIV positive, no one would look after her. So she asked me to promise to look after her child,” said Mazibuko.
She said people living with HIV suffer stigma from society, something that she wanted to protect the children she adopted, from.

“When she died, I took in that child and from there, the love grew. I took in as many, I think I have done about 25 adoptions and most of them are girls. I prefer those who are living or were born with HIV because there’s so much stigmatisation and they’re treated as outcasts.

They eat from their own plate, sleep in their own bed and are treated as if they aren’t normal, yet an HIV positive child is a normal child. This really touched my heart because they’re treated as outcasts. So, whenever I get a chance to adopt a girl child, I do so,” said Mazibuko.

The organiser of Miss Summer Strides and Miss Rural Zimbabwe said helping the children gives her self-fulfilment.

“My children say my heart is a refugee camp because if I hear that a child isn’t being looked after, I take them in. This gives me a sense of fulfilment and I think it’s my gift, just like my name Sipho suggests.

“During the days when I hosted Miss Rural, I’d adopt kids and pay for their education while they stayed at their homes. And now, I’m proud to say that I have a doctor under my belt. Of course, it’s not all my money that pays for the school fees. If I see a company that I think can assist, I approach it with my plea. Like this doctor, for example, her fees were paid for by CBZ.

“Our first Miss Rural Zimbabwe, Abigail Maboni, I took her to Solusi University through a sponsor. It’s not that I always have money, I identify and target my children,” said Mazibuko.

She also took the time to reflect on the life she has lived over the past 48 years and how it shaped everything that she is today. Born on May 5, 1973, Mazibuko grew up in Dekezi, Filabusi and attended Mapewume Primary School. She relocated to Bulawayo and attended John Tallach High School for form one and two.

Thereafter, due to financial constraints, her mother enrolled her at Eveline High School where she completed her education. It was at Eveline where she was crowned the inaugural Miss Teen Queen in 1992. She went on to be crowned Miss Bulawayo the following year and Miss Highlanders Football Club.
However, during that time, she fell pregnant awaiting her A’ level results.

“It was difficult at first because my A’ level results came at the same time that I was pregnant and it was so disheartening. I was a huge disappointment to the school as they looked up to me to be something in life.

“I failed to go to university and ended up enrolling at Speciss College for Executive Secretarial studies,” Mazibuko said.

After completing her course, she got her first job as a legal secretary, a field in which she met lawyer, Ndabezinhle Mazibuko who was to become her husband.

“During those days, the norm was that from high school, you’d go to university, get married and have children. There was no leeway for other things. I was a rebel when I did modelling as my family thought it was for loose people.

“It was only when the money started coming in and I was winning competitions that they started to understand and softened up a bit.”
At the age of 25, Mazibuko set up Strides Boutique as a way to create competition in the city’s modelling scene as there was only one modelling agency in Bulawayo, Fingers that was set up by Sarah Mpofu.

Strides, Mazibuko said stands for Sipho’s Truly Impeccable Distinct Exclusive Style. This is the modelling agency that birthed people like Lorraine Maphala who was a national sensation and Juliet Ncube through the Miss Summer Strides and Miss Rural Strides competitions.

Sadly, this was also the same time that Mazibuko experienced one of the darkest parts of her life as she had a nervous breakdown in 2010 that sent her to Zimbabwe’s mental institution, Ingutsheni Central Hospital. There, she was diagnosed with Bipolar and after a month, was discharged and has been under medication ever since. She has and continues to be a subject of ridicule because of the stigma of her being admitted to the mental institution.

In the past, Mazibuko has opened up about her battle with depression and bipolar, even setting up Mental Voices Trust that gives voices to mental health patients and issues. In all this, Mazibuko said she has learnt not to bear grudges and let go of the hurt she suffered over the years.

“I have no regrets, but these are lessons in life. I’ve learnt not to trust everyone and not to hold any grudges. Imagine if I was to hold grudges on everyone who hurt me in the past, I wouldn’t be talking to them, especially the media.

“I’ve learnt to let go and it gives me a sense of wellbeing.”
Now, Mazibuko who said she is not getting any younger is busying herself with Lavinia Gardens, an events venue at her two-acre yard.

“I’m getting old and I’m turning 50 in two years’ time. I can’t be running around all over the place as I did before when I had a boutique and travelled to China every month. Now I can’t do that anymore. This (Lavinia Gardens) has become my sanctuary.

“I do everything here and I’ve improved the garden and made it one of the top wedding venues in the city. I’m also building a glasshouse for functions and I think it’s going to be the only one in Bulawayo,” said an optimistic Mazibuko.

She said she loves the serenity of Lavinia Gardens as it soothes her soul.

“Like in the morning or late afternoon, there are a lot of birds that come in and play around. Looking at the birds chirping and picking worms from the lawn is calming for me and keeps me grounded.”

However, staying away from the modelling industry is not going to be easy as she plans to host Miss Strides next year after successfully bringing back the pageant last year. — @bonganinkunzi