The Sunday News
Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
A FEW weeks ago while relaxed in the company of friends, swigging his favourite beverage — Gold Blend Rare Blended Whiskey, Brighton Ndlovu, an upcoming DJ, never in his wildest dreams imagined that the beverage would turn him into the proud owner of a new home.
24-year-old Brighton, who still lives at his folk’s house in Bulawayo’s Pumula East suburb, is now the proud owner of a four-roomed, fully tiled, walled and gated house in Harare’s Budiriro suburb, after becoming the first winner of the African Distillers Limited (AFDIS) Think Out of the Box and win a House competition.
Sunday Life managed to chat with the comic dreadlocked DJ, who says he will never trade or sell the house, as that would be his family’s God-given legacy.
“I will never trade that house for anything . . . not even truckloads of Gold Blend Whiskey,” he said jokingly.
Unemployed and dependent on spinning the decks at events and clubs, Brighton said the heavens had blessed him with a house, something he never dreamt he would own, given the economic situation.
“We in a dire and tricky predicament, not only as a country but the entire world, youths are struggling to make ends meet as there is no employment and owning a house remains a dream for many. But for me, drinking Gold Blend got me a house, who would have thought?
“I know many people always said to me that I was a good for nothing, that I was always drinking but guess what, I own a house now from my hobby, which most were against. So something good can come out of drinking,” he said.
Brighton went on to mention that he felt proud to own a house, as his parents didn’t own one and that they have been renting for most of their lives.
“I really can’t say this is an achievement but luck. You know my father has been renting his entire life and he never wanted me to be in the same situation. At least with this house now I know I can save the little that I have and maybe one day get married and have children,” he said.
Rewinding back to when he received the news that he had won a house, Brighton said:
“I was literally drunk and passed out. When the people from AFDIS called my grandmother received the call and had to look for me to deliver the news. When she told me I couldn’t believe it, I felt so happy and just can’t explain the feeling.
“They came and got me a day or two later to present me with the keys to my house. AFDIS is the best and with this now I know I will never stop drinking my Gold Blend Whiskey,” said a jubilant Brighton.
AFDIS Southern region regional manager Nhlonpeng Ncube said Brighton was the first winner of the competition, where two other lucky Gold Blend Whiskey drinkers stood a chance to win a house in the same suburb in Harare.
“The first draw was held on 11 June at Machipisa Shopping Centre in Highfields, Harare, while the second will be held in Bulawayo on 13 August this year and the third and final will be announced in due course,” he said.
Ncube added that the gist behind the competition was to invoke people’s minds, in that if one wins a house outside their city what would they do, given Brighton’s case.
“Think Out of the Box is to get people thinking of how to sort out a predicament. If you were to win the house in Budiriro what would you do?
So the essence of the competition is to create excitement and get people thinking,” said Ncube.
The promotion kicked off on 15 April this year and will run until 30 September.
Participants stand a chance of winning a two-bedroomed house in Budiriro.
The entry requirements are to purchase a 750ml or 200ml bottles of Gold Blend Rare Whiskey, enclose the lids into an entry form envelope and deposit the envelope into boxes found at outlets throughout the country.
@peterkmatika
