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Yoliswa Dube Features Reporter
CODE named “Green Leader”, the notorious Chris Dixon of the Rhodesian Air Force was taken down in mid-air by a Zimbabwe People`s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) air defence unit during an attack on a camp in Zambia and landed in a camp kitchen.
The “Green Leader” was a celebrated soldier among the minority who raised morale of the white Rhodesian population when he led an attack on Freedom Camp. He was a symbol of superiority and an emblem of success in attempts to winning the war against the blacks. He was the most heavily publicised military leader within Rhodesia and internationally.

When he was shot down — the “Green Leader” who was deemed untouchable — dealt a big blow to the Rhodesian Air Force and signified an intense shift of power. The Rhodesian Air Force no longer enjoyed air superiority. They could no longer do as they pleased. They were now “touchable”.

While at CGT Camp commanded by Cde Tekenya in Zambia, Retired Warrant Officer Class One Cde Titus Mxotshwa, an unsung hero distinctly recalls the incident when “Green Leader” was brought down to earth.  He is one of the men who took down the “Green Leader”.

Cde Mxotshwa is one of the country’s freedom fighters who fought tirelessly and under painful circumstances to liberate the country, a heroic act but blatantly refuses to be referred to as a hero. He simply believes it was his responsibility to do something against Ian Smith’s colonial regime.

A complete patriot — black and white as well as colour posters littered the office he spoke from in New Magwegwe suburb, Bulawayo recently as he narrated his experiences during the country’s liberation struggle.

Posters of President Mugabe, the late national hero Dr Joshua Nkomo, his wife Mama Johanna Mafuyana, Cde Tarcisius Swazini Ndlovu, Cde Sydney Donald Malunga and others decorate his office.

The retired soldier said he went to school in Lupane at the then Lupane London Missionary Society and this was where he witnessed the oppression of blacks by whites.
Born in 1947, Cde Mxotshwa went to school between 1964 and 1965 where he saw extreme dehumanization of blacks for the first time.

“While l was at school and quite young, I saw black people being oppressed by whites. I saw a black man being kicked by a white man who was riding a horse. When I asked why the white man had done that, I was told ngumbangazwe but I didn’t understand what it meant. By the 70s, I understood exactly what it meant,” said Cde Mxotshwa before he broke out into song.

He sang: “Yithi abanini belizwe sikhalela inkululeko. Sikhala sithi Banda, Kaunda, Nkomo — sikhalela inkululeko.”
It is this song that he said got him into trouble at school. White teachers at the school tortured him for singing this song. It was this torture, combined with expulsion from school that made him want to join the war come 1975.

He looks into space and recalls: “In 1976, I was in Matangwana and later went to a camp in Francistown, Botswana before I was taken to Zambia. The situation in Zambia was very depressing. I arrived at Nampundwe before going to Membeshi.

“We were the first group to go to Angola for training with the late Cde Cain Nkala who is buried at the national heroes’ acre and the late Cde Frank Moyo buried at the Bulawayo provincial heroes acre.”

He distinctly remembers being deployed to D.K along the Zambezi River after training in Angola.
“Sabatshaya, lawo amakhiwa ayavuma (We fought a good fight; even the whites can admit it). I was one of the junior crew commanders. I remember being addressed by the late Cde Lookout Masuku at Freedom Camp in Zambia. The first bombardment was at Freedom Camp. From there, we were taken to CGT Camp commanded by Cde Tekenya and were armed.

“Kwaba lokuwa kuka “Green Leader”, indege yakhe yawela ekhitshini (The “Green Leader” was shot in mid-air and landed in a camp kitchen) and l’m not afraid to say that. From there, we were taken to Mulungushi to form conventional battalions – we were guerilla units all along,” said Cde Mxotshwa.

Retired Major General Stanford Madala “Madliwa” Khumalo was the battalion commander; a man Cde Mxotshwa says was very humble and did an exceptional job at leading the first battalion.

“I was in the first battalion in the artillery division and we dealt with anti-air weapons. There was a time when there were 10 days and 10 nights of intense fighting before the first battalion was moved to Kariba at a place called Sesheke. I know a lot of people would not know some of these names but freedom fighters would,” he said.
“Magunje was our area. I could take you to the very spot we operated from right now and show you,” said the war veteran.

As if it were yesterday, Cde Mxotshwa remembers being attacked by whites who he said came at night and used illuminating rounds that appeared like stars.
“I’ll never forget the weapons used by whites. The bombs I came across; they had propellers which would make enormous holes. We would fight against such weaponry night and day. We didn’t have enough food to go by, we had no medication neither did we have any transport, we would walk everywhere we needed to go.

“The whites would attack us in waves of intervals of about an hour. They would drop splitter bombs while re-organising for the next. These bombs which were outlawed by the Law of Armed Conflict disintegrated into several bombs which took time to explode but we eventually mastered their moves. There was a young man called Bhayiza who used a zeg-u (an anti-air weapon) to create a barrage fire and would intercept these bombs.

“The war was extremely tense. The whites would use sleeping smoke on us and it would make us sleepy but our commander soon realised it. I am one of the survivors from the anti-air crew, we were the provokers,” he said.

Cde Mxotshwa recalls an incident where they shot down several helicopters. Those who handled the B-10, an anti-tank weapon, improvised and tied their weapons to tree tops.

When one helicopter was hit, it exploded affecting the rest because helicopters in a war zone attack in pairs or in larger numbers.
The principle is that no weapon attacks independently. Weapons should give covering fire to each other.

Again, he stares into space and remembers being called back to Zimbabwe after ceasefire in 1979.
“We went back to Mazabuka. That was an extremely tough journey which l’ll never forget. We walked for what must have been the longest distance of my life. We carried heavy weapons, zeg-u which is an anti-air weapon and B10 an anti-tank weapon.

“It was extremely heavy weaponry and no easy task. We passed through the Zambezi escarpment; we crossed rivers and gorges to Mazabuka and then the Gwayi assembly point.

“We went to the assembly point with our weapons,” he said.
It was in Tsholotsho that First Battalion operated with much resistance from the surrounding community. People were fearful and did not trust that the war was truly over. People were afraid to move around in large numbers fearing they would be killed more easily.

“We managed to round up about 120 people, spoke to them after which we went to the Zimbabwe Military Academy in Gweru where l underwent an officer standardisation course. I was one of the first military police lieutenants in this country before I was demoted following some unrest in Entumbane. When the national army was formed in 1981, I was one of the founder members,” said Cde Mxotshwa.

With his hands clasped across his chest, he distinctly remembers a poster at Brady Barracks Swimming Bath written in bold red letters and read “Dogs, Africans, Asians, Coloured Not Allowed”.

In an angry tone he says: “Sakukhupha sakulahlela khatshana (We removed the poster and threw it away!”.
He continues: “I’m happy that I’m alive to tell my story.”

Cde Mxotshwa said after the integration of the Zanla, Zipra and Rhodesia security forces, there was still mistrust of one another. Soldiers were worried about being poisoned. The Joint High Command comprising the late Retired General Solomon Mujuru and Dumiso Dabengwa consistently had to assure them that it was safe to eat food prepared by the Rhodesia security forces.

With time, ex-combatants were taken into the kitchens to help the Rhodesia security forces.
“It was not easy to integrate us into one army.  Our leaders had to work extremely hard to achieve unity in the army but eventually sathi comply. We thought we would die carrying our weapons but were told all weapons would be kept at the armory,” said Mxotshwa.

The Zimbabwe National Army, he said, recorded numerous successful assignments including maintaining peace in Mozambique, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We left these countries peaceful although there are some challenges in Somalia and DRC at the moment. I’m very proud of what I did for my country,” said Cde Mxotshwa.

Zimbabweans will on August 11 introspect again, during Heroes Day as people across the nation remember the late gallant icons and men of vision who fought in the liberation struggle to free Zimbabwe from white colonial masters.

Many gallant sons of the soil, the likes of Simon Vengai Muzenda, Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo and Josiah Tongogara should not be forgotten and their legacy must be cherished by all.