Harare hairdresser kills himself with cocktail of ...

Harare hairdresser kills himself with cocktail of substances

Bridget Mabanda

A Harare man killed himself by taking a cocktail of poisonous substances over matters of the heart.

The late Brian Gunduza, 36, of house in Seke Unit H, Chitungwiza consumed unknown tablets then apparently took rat poison mixed with garden pest control chemical.

Some workmates and friends said that they noted that Brian was preoccupied in the days leading up to his death but he did not open up to them.

“His working routine changed last week and he showed that he had something in mind before committing suicide,” said one of his workmates at the salon in the Avenues where Gunduza was a hairdresser.

“Aah zvakaoma guys, apa he was sharing with us on Friday night but nyaya yacho aingotendererera we tried our best to help but we never thought ndokwazvichagumira,” Bezel Mapingire, a friend wrote on Facebook.

Gunduza appears to have been an amiable personality who was well liked by those he came into contact with including his workmates.

“Bhidzo was popularly known as ‘Classic Man” and lived a quiet life, “said one friend.

An audio recording by a source close to the deceased shared with Zim Now says Gunduza who was married (with two kids) was also occasionally co-habiting with a lover.

Gunduza is said to have told his workmates and others on various occasions that his lover was the most sexually explosive woman that he had ever been intimate with.

There are conflicting accounts of what exactly went wrong on Sunday, with a couple saying that his lover was the one who drove Brian to his death.

“He discovered that his lover was on antiretroviral medication and she had not opened up to him about her positive HIV status,” said one workmate, and this is the version that seems to be accepted in his former workplace.

Another source who said he was a friend said that Gunduza had walked in on his lover with another man at her house in Sunningdale where Gunduza occasionally stayed over with her.

A workmate said that Brian had a secretive aspect to his life.

"He would come in, in the morning and immediately head to the bathroom and spend a long time there. And he would often go back there several times a day. Sometimes he didn't come in for days on end and would hardly attend to his clients. But he always had a lot of money.

“He never shared the source of that money but there was a lot of speculation. So maybe something in that other private life of his went wrong. But since we don't know anything about that, and he never shared the problems that led him to suicide, there is no basis for some of the theories being put forward," said the workmate.

Whatever the real reason, witnesses say Gunduza took some tablets (unknown) and washed them with alcohol while still in Sunnigdale on Sunday morning.

Zimnow tried to contact Gunduza’s lover but the contact given as her number ends with a recorded message saying it’s not in use.

Gunduza hired a taxi to ferry him from Sunngidale to his home in Chitungwiza.

His wife prepared some food for him and left as she had to go work.

Gunduza went to the nearby shops and reportedly treated fellow patrons to drinks, telling them that it could be his last day of life. They dismissed it as mere talk.

One of them said they were shocked to hear of his death a few hours later and narrated the account from his perspective:

“He bought us beer and he went back to his house around 3pm. He locked the door from inside and took poison.

“People who were around discovered that Gunduza had taken poison after seeing froth coming out of his mouth through the window.

“They managed to open the door and took him to Chitungwiza Central Hospital but he died upon admission. Nurses were not sure of which poison, he had taken exactly.

“The empty bottles of red spider mite chemical control and rat killer were found in his bedroom.”

Gunduza’s brother has not been picking Zim Now’s calls since yesterday.

Friends paid their respects on Gunduza’s Facebook wall, lamenting the manner of his passing and the need for effective social support systems for men.

Lincoln The Prez Ngorima: “He was my brother’s friend and hearing the circumstances around the whole situation is soul crushing. There is a lot we not talking about us men.”

Gideon Brook Rvssian: “This is really shocking and sad. I just saw him on Friday after a long time he looked happy we cheered each other and I told him I was going to visit him at his work place. I believe Mental Health is taking a troll we need to start sharing truly. My sincere Condolences Rest in Peace.”

The issue of men committing suicide has become topical as cases are becoming more frequent.

Gunduza was buried at his Mutoko rural home on Tuesday.