Zimbabwean professional mixed martial artist Temba Gorimbo has revealed that he no longer has contact with any members of his family.
In an interview with journalist Larry Madowo on CNN’s African Voices, Gorimbo said he does not feel that he belongs to Zimbabwe.
He added that, should he die, he wants his body to be cremated and his ashes scattered in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Said Gorimbo:
“I have cut all my family members off my phone. Nobody. I blocked them. I love my family from afar. I don’t belong to Zimbabwe. I belong to the universe.
“I belong to every single person who wants to take inspiration from me. If I die, I don’t need to be buried in my village. That’s where it is.
“I don’t want to be buried in my village. If I die, burn my body, go throw my ashes in Kruger National Park. That’s my wish.”
When asked whether some Zimbabweans might be offended by his claim that he does not belong to Zimbabwe, despite the support he has received, Gorimbo replied that no one in Zimbabwe, not even his own family, had supported him. He said:
“Nobody in Zimbabwe supported me. Including my own family, they didn’t support me.
“I had this dream by myself. I went after this by myself. People laughed at me when I was doing this.”
The 35-year-old Gorimbo said that, although some people in Zimbabwe have supported him, he feels he owes the country nothing and would change his surname if he could.
He also spoke candidly about “black tax”, saying his family feels entitled to financial support from him.
The term “black tax” is widely used in Southern Africa to describe the expectation that employed Black professionals provide financial assistance to their extended families, often beyond their immediate household.
It typically involves contributing towards essentials such as school fees, groceries, medical bills or housing.
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