Possible Jail for NUST Student Over Offensive Posts Targeting Ndebele People

A student from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) finds himself in legal trouble after making derogatory tribal remarks targeting the Ndebele community on social media. Tanaka Ryan Ziso, a 24-year-old final year Civil and Water Engineering student residing at the Old Mutual students accommodation complex in Selbourne Park, appeared before the courts on Thursday.

Charged with causing offence to persons of a particular race, Ziso was remanded in custody until April 2 after appearing before Bulawayo magistrate Mr. Maxwell Ncube. The prosecution, represented by Miss Dorcas Maphosa, detailed that Ziso posted the offensive remarks on his X-page (previously Twitter) under the username “The Royal Priest of Chitungwiza @iamryantanaka” on March 13, 2024, at 2011 hours.

The specific contents of the posts were described as demeaning towards the Ndebele people, too offensive to be detailed in a family newspaper. Moreover, on March 14, 2024, around 2 PM, Ziso allegedly posted another message that exacerbated the already tense situation.

The case was brought to light by Mr. Thabani Mpofu, the director of communication and marketing at Nust, who reported the matter. Miss Maphosa emphasized that Ziso’s posts were unacceptable, as they targeted individuals based on race, tribe, and place of origin, violating their rights and causing significant offence.

state media