The dam began to burst for her when she landed an acting
role in the early 2000s. Her role as Joyce Huni in popular yester-year soapie
Studio 263 saw her enjoy her heydays and catapulted her to stardom in the
process.
If the popular adage “to err is human, but to forgive is
divine” is anything to by, then Tin Tin falls in both categories. She has erred
in the past, but forgave herself, learning from the experience and picking up
where she left off before her stint with ZiFM Stereo.
Saturday Leisure sat down with Tin Tin to ascertain her
feelings on her recent comeback to radio, relationship issues, past
experiences, her diagnosis with endometriosis and the quashing of misconceptions
surrounding her life.
Ask anyone to define Tin Tin for you and be rest assured
that most of the responses will lean on her being a controversial figure, but
she believes that things have been blown out of proportion and her name smeared
in the public circle. She would rather define herself as “a force of nature,
unstoppable, indomitable, humbled, guided and protected under the grace of
God.”
Tin Tin’s blossoming career in the entertainment industry
was dealt a major blow in 2012 when her sex tape was leaked leading to her
suspension by ZiFM Stereo.
The tape blew the roof off the internet and Tin Tin
describes it as “revenge porn”. Revenge porn is the revealing of sexually
explicit images or videos of a person on the internet, typically by a former
sexual partner without the consent of the subject to cause them embarrassment
and distress.
The 43-year-old said the ordeal showed her a dark side to
technology where one’s vulnerability might be exploited.
“Albeit, we are living in an era where anything goes so to
speak, and the more we move on in the 21st century, the more liberal society is
becoming. Sexual intimacy remains a private and confidential thing for me.
“There’s no greater violation than exploiting someone
else’s vulnerability for personal gain or out of pure malice. What people do in
their relationships is their business, but know that in this age of technology,
once something is captured, you’ve now opened the door to the possibility of
anything, be it good or bad,” she said.
Since the sex tape saga, Tin Tin’s life seemed to spiral
down the drain as a chain of unfortunate events befell her. She also narrated her struggle living with
endometriosis.
“Endometriosis, often misinterpreted as ‘jeko’, which it’s
not, it has no cure yet, but the symptoms can be managed with various pain
management treatments and remedies so as to give the sufferer a better quality
of life. I was diagnosed at 17, I’m now 43 with stage four endometriosis.
“Many women never get to have their own children with this
condition, but by God’s grace, I have two beautiful boys who are both indeed my
miracles. Their names are Yambuko and Yupi,” she said.
The leader of the Brunch Runners has been back on air on
ZiFM Stereo since 2019 where she has been hosting a late night show called
Formation. She is now co-hosting Brunch Run Sundays with TeeKay.
She loves radio and attests that, “It’s such a blessing to
do what you love and love what you do.”
Tin Tin has been constantly using her catchphrase “this too
shall pass” as a way to show that “my spirituality is core and God is my source
and foundation. Just as the Word tells us there’s a season for everything,
nothing lasts forever. We’re born, we live, we die and all we go through in our
life’s journey has a beginning and an end. It’s that simple really. To be
awarded another day nyama nemweya zviripamwe chete is enough motivation for
anyone regardless of how bleak things look, to get up and do something. Make
the change needed and win. Just don’t lose focus on your end goal.”
Tinopona seems to have nine lives, a thick skin and a will
of steel that has seen her rise even after she hit rock bottom. To her, “it’s
not about how many times you fall. It’s not about how many times you get up
even. For me, it’s about what you learn from the fall and how you navigate your
way forward.”
“I’ve experienced that the best part of hitting your ‘rock
bottom’ in a situation is that you have no option, but to look up and you can
never go wrong when you look up. There’s always a lifeline that God puts for
you, but only if you humble yourself will you see it and get out of the
trenches.”
When asked about the validity of her losing a friend,
Rebecca Chinyerere to “cocaine overdose” in her bathroom, Tin Tin gave a
lengthy response, silencing her critics.
“Correction, Becky did not die of ‘cocaine overdose’.
Unethical journalists’ practice purported this gross misrepresentation of the
course of events of that fateful night that I lost one of my closest friends.
As a journalist, always check facts of a story by hearing both sides before publishing
and misleading people.
“For whatever reason, people rushed to construe and publish
falsehoods over Becky’s passing. It was devastating, but I’m grateful the
record was set straight and although I miss her terribly every day, I’m at
peace knowing the memory of my vivacious, ever-forgiving and big-hearted friend
remains as beautiful as she was. Indeed may her soul rest in peace.”
She said with any addiction, there’s a thin line between
having fun or using substances for health reasons and having an addiction
problem, adding that mental health issues in Zimbabwe need to be given serious
attention.
“I’m 43 years old and have lived and I’m living a
colourful, blessed life. I know what it is like to be at that point. I know
what it is to get to that line. I know what it is to feel depression, I know
what it is to feel so void inside, yet so flourishing on the outside.
“I know what it is to see suicide as an option. But, I also
know what it is to have a non-judgmental support system through friends and
relatives so that life and its situations are better managed. I’m blessed
beyond measure and I’m grateful. We’re living in a precarious time. Economic
hardships, personal challenges and instability are prevalent in our communities
and hence the nation as a whole.
“The rise in people being dependent on something, it could
be substances like alcohol, narcotics prescription medications, or even sex,
gambling, cults and so forth is a blaring signal that mental health issues are
prevalent in Zimbabwe and things need to be addressed promptly, effectively and
efficiently,” she added.
Tin Tin has been subjected to domestic violence in her
former relationships. These have only served to show her that “abusing each
other physically, mentally or even financially in our marriages or
relationships regardless what the nature of that union is, is never the
solution to any problem or challenge.
“We’ve got to practise tolerance, enact compromise,
maintain respect and control our emotions and views when conflict situations
arise. Resorting to violence is archaic and in our own spaces, we must strive
to stop the beast of domestic violence.”
Last year, Tin Tin showed her entrepreneurial spirit when
she established Mazai Kwa Tino where she sells eggs.
“My very unexpected entrepreneurial journey is going slow,
but steady. I’m learning, growing and adapting. I’m a creative through and
through so with the overnight birth of Mazai Kwa Tino, I literally went from
being a full-time mum, as I had pulled away much from the arts and
entertainment industry then, to an emerging businesswoman. Once again, God’s
grace located me unsolicited and in abundance.
“I was and still am surrounded by such empowering and
encouraging people like my then business advisor Ignatius Munengwa and life
transformation and personal friend Zwelibanzi Ndlovu and of course, the
overwhelming support from Zimbabweans across all walks of life. I knew God was
in it so success, growth and victory are once again mine,” she said.
Her company, Tinopona Investments, she said is also doing
well as it is expanding and complementing her other ventures in cosmetology,
philanthropy and the arts.
“It’s very hard to start up a business in Zimbabwe at the
moment. I’m living it so I know what I’m talking about. The economy is
uncomfortable and requires you not just to be corporate savvy, but also street
smart. You should always be switched on to grab opportunities and aggressively
pursue them.
“My biggest lesson so far in the egg business, or rather
business in Zimbabwe generally speaking is, ‘Be compliant, consistent and
courageous,’” said Tin Tin.
With all the things in her busy portfolio, surely Tin Tin
has her work cut out and does not have spare time.
“I’m a partner to a hard-working man, I’m a mum to two
active demanding boys, I’m a popular radio and TV personality, I’m a growing
entrepreneur/businesswoman, I’m an activist and I have a calling in
philanthropic work. I don’t have ‘spare time’ at the moment,” she said.
Apart from hosting the Brunch Run show, Tin Tin believes
there is more to come from her this year but, “on my terms”.
“I live in Zimbabwe, a land of great hardships sometimes,
but great opportunities all the time. I would say don’t ‘expect’ anything. You
will set yourself up for disappointment. I’m living my life on my terms. Not by
force, but by favour. Things are hard out there for most of us ordinary
citizens but I refuse to get distracted or sidelined in anything I put my mind
to.
“Perseverance and consistency always reap rewards.”
She said she is loving getting older as she is getting
wiser.
“I’m in the prime of my best life every day. I have the
gift of two amazing boys, I’m surrounded by unconditional love and by those I
choose to be in my space. I’m loving getting older as I’m wiser across board
and above all, I know who I am, what I stand for and unapologetically, I let nothing
and no one take my joy.
“Forgiveness has brought me peace and peace is my secret
weapon. Life is good if we allow it to be,” she said.
Tin Tin’s life has been a roller-coaster of strange events,
but in the midst of it all, she has fought, clawed and climbed her way up
again. Chronicle
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