Maswera, in Shona —Zimbabwe’s mother language spoken by over 70% of the country’s population, is a respectful way of greeting someone in the evening.
But in the mining town of Shamva, 90 kilometres from the capital Harare, the word has a totally different meaning.
‘Maswera’ is the name Simba Bhora star striker Tinashe Balakasi is fondly-referred to as by football fans in Shamva.
The gold and nickel rich town will for the first time ever, witness top-flight football, after its flagship soccer team Simba Bhora, won the Northern Region Soccer League to earn promotion to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
Balakasi was one of the key drivers in the Simba title charge.
The 31-year old cemented his name in the history books when he became the player to score the most goals in a single Northern Region Division One season, after his five-goal haul in the 6-3 demolition of Chinhoyi Stars at Wadzanai Stadium in August.
The record was previously held by Kasimero Chimbadzwa, who netted 22 goals for ZRP FC back in 2014.
The gangly striker’s goal scoring exploits proved decisive for the Authur Tutani-coached side, who won the region’s sole ticket after a nail-bitting three-horse race with Herentals U20 and Golden Eagles.
For Balakasi, breaking the record and helping his team win promotion to the country’s top-flight, was special.
“I don’t know how to express how pleased I was with that achievement,” Balakasi told Soccer24.
“What I know is my family is happy and they are proud of me because this is something they didn’t expect that one day one of their own will lift the Balakasi name high as it is right now,” said the former Harare City striker, adding that breaking the record, which stood for eight years, makes him feel like a king.
Before that feat, Balakasi went on an uncharacteristic dry spell, which many felt was due to the physiological effects of the tragic death of his teammate, roommate and friend Barnabas Mushunje.
Mushunje died after a car crash in June and Balakasi admits the death of his friend — one of the darkest episodes in Zimbabwean football this year —greatly-affected him.
“Barnabas’ death affected me more than everyone because he was my friend, brother, roommate and teammate. So when he died, I couldn’t sleep thinking of him,” recalled Balakasi, emotionally.
“In terms of my performance, it was bad and the supply was low for me and that made me think too much of him but as times went by, I managed to put myself in order and I started scoring again,” he said.
Prior to his roller-coaster season in Division One, Balakasi was deemed surplus to requirements and shown the exit door at Harare giants CAPS United but the bustling striker insists he has nothing to prove in the PSL.
“I am not putting myself under pressure to prove people because they think the last time I was there (in the PSL), I didn’t do well,” he said.
“Individually, my target is to play well and be amongst the good players of 2023. Collectively as Simba Bhora, our main target is to avoid relagation in our first year,” added Balakasi.
Behold, the stone which the builder rejected has become the cornerstone.
