Every Saturday, a group of 25 local men from Makhuvha, many of whom are unemployed, gather at their favourite spot to drink, listen to, and dance to Tshivenda music with the radio at full blast. However, the meeting is not just a drinking spree; this is a deliberate effort to reach out to one another, share problems, and find solutions as a collective.

Initially, the men gathered to drink their traditional brew (mahafhe), but over time they became close friends. The companionship became more formal when an official club was formed. The club was founded after a call by Phalaphala FM presenter Humbulani Nengovhela, who hosts the Nambi ya Dzinambi (Tshivenda traditional music) show.

The founder of the club is Mr. Thiathu Netshikweta, an educator by profession and also a musician. He said they had observed a stigma attached to people who drink traditional brew. “We are regarded as useless and low-level people, and we are not taken seriously. Through conversations with friends, I realised that many have great ideas that, if put together, could make a meaningful contribution to the community,” he said.

What started off as an ordinary club with members drinking together evolved into much more, where they started preparing meals to be shared among the group. “We are now like a family. We discuss issues and share experiences affecting men. In time, this will go a long way in building our families and addressing the scourge of gender-based violence. Men have problems, but they can only express themselves freely in such a setting,” he said.

He added that they had big plans for the future and that their next meeting would focus on financial matters. “We are all serious people, and people should not undermine us when they see us drinking traditional beer. As for me, I am a professional, but I drink this brew for the love of it. When we are together, we will triumph,” Netshikweta said.