By Netshakhuma Muleya
The founder of the Sundrive Arts and Entertainment Awards, Innocent Chenjerai, has revealed that the awards ceremony has not been held for the past three years due to limited community participation and low engagement in Beitbridge.
According to Chenjerai, the small size of the local community and insufficient support made it difficult to sustain the annual event.
The Sundrive Arts and Entertainment Awards were launched in 2021 and successfully celebrated talent and excellence in the arts sector for two consecutive years.
The awards gained prominence after hosting Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe as guests of honour.
Meanwhile, a new initiative, the Beitbridge Achievement Awards, is set to be launched on 27 July 2026 under the stewardship of Black Pepper Entertainment.
Registration for nominees is currently open and will run from June 8 to July 8 2026, with the venue for the awards ceremony to be announced at a later date.
The awards will feature a wide range of categories covering sectors such as beauty, fashion, music, film and theatre, transport and logistics, tourism, and hospitality.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network, awards coordinator Black Pepper said the initiative was established to recognise and celebrate artists and entertainers whose contributions have often gone unnoticed.
“Beitbridge has hosted corporate awards annually, which catered mainly for corporate organisations, while the arts and entertainment sector was largely overlooked.”
“These awards aim to celebrate talent and hard work within the arts and entertainment industry,” she said.
The launch of the Beitbridge Achievement Awards is expected to create a new platform for recognising excellence, promoting local talent, and strengthening the district’s arts and entertainment sector.