Sokostina survives crucifixion…leaves ZiFM

By Robert Mukondiwa

ZiFM former star Tendai Garwe, popularly known as Sokostina, was on the brink of being dragged to the stake to be burnt as a witch-hunt to find out who had leaked the story of a mass exodus from ZiFM ensued.

Barring that she would have been crucified!

Goodbye airwaves...Tendai 'Sokostina' Garwe...The Queen Monkey has hopped off the ZiFM tree

The effervescent extrovert had all the nails, hammer and cross put together for her as she was believed to be the person behind telling the world of the unhappiness at the popular but troubled radio station.

After meeting and engaging in conversation for the first time with the author on the side-lines of the Delta Beverages Biggest Braai event over the weekend, the popular bubbly Sokostina however confessed that she had left the station.

“Robert? You are the Robert,” she said visibly shocked.

“You had people targeting me thinking I was your source!” said Sokostina, whose moniker comes from her totem as Soko, the Monkey-hence Sokostina or the Queen Monkey.

After long convincing she bared all and said although she left, it was because of her love for the station and her career that she made the tough decision.

“I couldn’t have been the one to have told the Press because at that time I had things happening behind the scenes and any disclosures to the Press would have upset my bargaining which had a 28 October deadline to be addressed or I would leave,” she said.

“It was in my best interests to make sure nobody knew anything was wrong.”

But the radio personality-cum-actress, who was frequently mobbed by adoring fans with requests for ‘selfies’ in the dead of the night by a steaming braai stand, said all she wanted was to grow her career and she felt she had a lot more to bring to radio than be known as ‘that woman from the sex show on radio’ she confided.

“I said ‘give me a shot at the big things. At the other slots and I can bring my ‘A’ game’ but it was always disappointing to know you could work the listeners but would always be passed over for the slots that grow you. I loved ZiFM. I loved my sex show. But I was more than just sex. I am more than just sex and that’s what I wanted-to grow.”

No doubt from her frank character and infectiously extrovert character, Sokostina could work a listenership. And it is probably that outspokenness that ruffled a few people and rubbed the bureaucracy up the wrong way. Not that Sokostina would care. She’s a bundle of fun and spoke her heart out.

“People should love the station. Instead of the witch-hunt to establish ‘who talked’ perhaps interrogating the issues and fixing them would be the way to go. That station is a great station and a powerful brand,” she said.

The Queen Monkey went on to be the life of the festival, generating interest from fans primarily from her role in the television drama Muchaneta.

A goddess of charm, Sokostina will definitely land up some noticeable role in media celeb society no doubt and certainly has more to offer than sex talk and innuendo.

“Anyway, there comes a time when one should move on and shine and perhaps this is it!”

And shine at the festival in the near tangible darkness Sokostina did indeed.