The Zionist met Brenda Emelia Grabau at Bhawhini area, near Mankayane in 2006. Calvin Kunene was at Bhawyini as a labourer for Anzo Constructions, a Matsapha based company. "We were at Bhawyini as the construction company I worked for was building a house at Nyatsini Secondary school. I worked as a ‘bhucudaka’, my duty was to make concrete mixture," said the shy Kunene. Kunene said he wanted to talk to Brenda when his eyes fell on her but he was scared to convey his feelings, something he described as part of the courting process. Apart from that, he says the skin colour sent shivers down his spine. Kunene said he made acquaintance with Brenda, but the intention to ask Brenda out was not strong though he secretly harboured the thought. "It happens that a male will want to talk to a girl about dating her but fear holds you back. It was the same thing with me," said Kunene. "Then I took chances this one time when we met, it was more like a joke when I said it (I love you). She was friendly so that made it easy to talk to her. We begun to be friends and that is how we grew closer to each other," said Kunene.
RPCV Brenda Emelia Grabau marries Calvin Kunene in Swaziland
Umlungu from america tekaed by shy Zionist
By LUCKY TSABEDZE on February 07,2009
Caption: THE SWAZI WAY: Brenda leading a group of her in-laws for some teka rituals. She is now an official wife of Calvin Kunene.
MANZINI – A Zionist construction worker tekaed an American woman.
The Zionist met Brenda Emelia Grabau at Bhawhini area, near Mankayane in 2006.
Calvin Kunene was at Bhawyini as a labourer for Anzo Constructions, a Matsapha based company.
"We were at Bhawyini as the construction company I worked for was building a house at Nyatsini Secondary school. I worked as a ‘bhucudaka’, my duty was to make concrete mixture," said the shy Kunene.
Kunene said he wanted to talk to Brenda when his eyes fell on her but he was scared to convey his feelings, something he described as part of the courting process. Apart from that, he says the skin colour sent shivers down his spine.
Kunene said he made acquaintance with Brenda, but the intention to ask Brenda out was not strong though he secretly harboured the thought.
"It happens that a male will want to talk to a girl about dating her but fear holds you back. It was the same thing with me," said Kunene.
"Then I took chances this one time when we met, it was more like a joke when I said it (I love you). She was friendly so that made it easy to talk to her. We begun to be friends and that is how we grew closer to each other," said Kunene.
Kunene said the friendship continued until a stage when Brenda’s commitment made him believe they were more than friends. Brenda pleasantly surprised him when she visited Kunene’s sick father at the Mankayane Government Hospital where he was admitted.
"That took me by surprise," he recalls.
"I could see that the friendship between us was strong, and was in fact getting even stronger. It got to point when my father died, that proved to be a turning point for me and Brenda. She travelled to my home, and was with me through- out the time of bereavement.
She was cooking, and that must have been a shock to some mourners because they didn’t part-take in the cooking. She was the busiest!" said the proud husband.
The relationship has brought to life a child.
