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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter 

GRAND Palm Lodge proprietor Mrs Phyllis Majele Sibanda was buried yesterday at the family’s Denver Farm in Nyamandlovu with speakers describing her as a national treasure and a definition of excellence.

Mrs Majele Sibanda succumbed to breast cancer on Saturday last week at the age of 84.

Hundreds of people converged at Denver Farm where speakers took turns to eulogise Mrs Majele Sibanda for being an educationist who empowered many.

Speakers found it difficult to speak about Mrs Majele Sibanda without referring to her widower Mr Johnson Majele Sibanda for the role the two played in empowering not just their immediate family but the community, some through school fees and others through employment.

Mr Majele Sibanda sat alone on a stage in front of the sea of mourners as speakers narrated how the elderly couple had touched their lives in their marriage spanning 61 years.

One of her daughters Mrs Nonku Majele Musarira said her mother was patient with her despite being a slow learner and she vowed to make sure that she graduated.

Mrs Musarira said she was humbled that her mother lived to see her graduate.

All speakers sang from the same hymn book narrating their experiences about Mrs Majele Sibanda.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Bulawayo regional manager Mrs Novuyo Mathonsi, who stood in for Environment, Tourism, Climate and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu, said Mrs Majele Sibanda was respected as an epitome of success in the hospitality industry. 

She said Mrs Majele Sibanda transformed the Grand Palm Lodge from a small bed and breakfast accommodation facility to a reputable luxury guest house.

“We have lost a national treasure and she will be remembered for her great work. Mrs Majele ran the Grand Palm Lodge; she was known to us as ugogo in the tourism sector. We respected her and honoured her. She had her way of handling her clients. 

The lodge has since grown from its humble beginnings with six rooms to become a 30-room luxury lodge and conference centre,” she said.

 Mrs Mathonsi said Mrs Majele Sibanda kept a high standard for her lodge which resulted in her winning several industry accolades. 

She said the late was always willing to lend a helping hand to those who wanted to join the industry. 

Mrs Mathonsi said ZTA carried out compliance checks at her lodge and it was always compliant. 

“She complied and satisfied all the requirements of being a luxury guest house. She was mentoring and she mentored a lot of operators in Bulawayo and she would welcome them. Some of the people, if you want to join the same business as them, they will shut you out but she would nurture and even encourage new players to even do better than her,” said Mrs Mathonsi.

She commended Mrs Majele Sibanda for capacitating one of her daughters Ms Siphiwe Majele Sibanda, saying she was confident that in her hands the business will continue doing well.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube commended the late business woman for her contributions to the development of the country.

“She is among those who were contributing to the development of their city. She contributed to her best in a lot of things including the development of her children. Among women she played her role,” said Minister Ncube.

She said while Mrs Majele Sibanda will be remembered for her role in developing the country, it is disheartening that there is a generation that is being lost to drugs. 

“In Bulawayo and in the country, let’s admit that we have missed it somewhere. If you visit Ingutsheni Central Hospital there are now children who are 13-year-old, admitted with mental illness due to drugs,” she said.

“We can lose a generation if we don’t become like umama uMajele who stood by the truth all the time. We want to thank her and the family for the job they have done in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe, Gweru, Lower Gwelo. We were being shown that there is a new suburb which will be part of Cowdray Park extension. This is a result of the work and vision of the Majele family.”

The couple was building a suburb just after Cowdray Park.

Minister Ncube described the Majele Sibandas as visionaries and urged society to take a leaf from them, describing them as dreamers as opposed to hallucinators.

She encouraged society to tackle the issue of drug abuse hands on to curb incidents of pupils killing each other.

Minister Ncube told mourners of how the young were turning to unconventional drugs such as powder from bulbs and some car parts just to get intoxicated. 

Denver Investment representative Mr Abedinego Mpofu said Mrs Majele Sibanda was part of the vision that led to the establishment of the company.

He said the company has provided employment for scores of people through various investment projects. “There are so many businesses that operate under Denver Investment. Some have started the projects in Lower Gweru, Makokoba among other areas. Through Denver Investment there is a supermarket in Emakhandeni, in our offices there is a furniture shop and restaurant. Even here at the farm we have an abattoir. We also have Denver township which is developing which was established by JM and PP,” he said.