Youths vow to cherish, defend the legacy left by struggle heroes and heroines Zwelibanzi Mlalazi

Raymond Jaravaza and Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Writers

NOW at full youthful age, Mr Zwelibanzi Mlalazi has made it a tradition to visit his late father’s grave every year on Heroes Day, at the Matabeleland North Provincial Heroes Acre in Lupane.

For him and other fellow youths, the day evokes feelings of foreboding, inspiration and a sense of honour to be sons and daughters of cadres who sacrificed their lives and fought a fierce war to liberate Zimbabwe from colonial rule.

He was just one year old in 1981 when the country celebrated its first anniversary as an independent sovereign state and counts himself lucky to be born in a family that produced a hero – the late Cde Gibson Mlalazi.

The Gumede Sisters (from left), Catherine, Sitshengisiwe and Vuyelwa

The late hero is buried at the Matabeleland North Province Heroes Acre, a befitting honour for a man who left his family behind in 1976 and crossed the border to Botswana en-route to Zambia to join thousands of other liberation war stalwarts.

“I was born in a family of 10 and my father left my mother and older siblings to join the liberation struggle in 1976. My mother became the bread-winner in my father’s absence, but she understood that he had a duty to join other comrades in fighting for the independence of our country,” said Mr Mlalazi.

As a youth, he said he takes seriously and is inspired by the sacrifices made by his father and thousands of other liberation war veterans in the fight for liberation.

The late hero passed away in June 2006 and his grave at the provincial heroes’ acre is among the many graves of heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for independence.

Yesterday, Mr Mlalazi was joined by scores of youths who thronged the provincial heroes’ acre to celebrate the memory of the fallen heroes and heroines on Heroes Day.

As a young man, he says he cherishes the country’s history and called upon other youths to jealously guard the sovereignty of the country against foreign agendas from erstwhile detractors.

“It’s our duty as the youth to keep the memories of our departed heroes alive so that we can also teach our children about the history of the country. 

“Coming to the heroes’ acre has become a tradition for the Mlalazi family because we want to keep remembering my father as a selfless man who left his own family to join the liberation struggle in Zambia,” said Mr Mlalazi.

In similar fashion, the Gumede sisters — Sitshengisiwe, Catherine and Vuyelwa, also took time from their busy schedule running a local lodge in Lupane to come to the heroes’ acre to celebrate the memory of their late uncle, Cde Joseph Gumede, who is buried at the shrine.

They said they were proud that their uncle is among the many luminaries who fought for the independence of the country in the trenches.

“We are proud of our uncle for sacrificing his life together with other heroes for this country to be independent. Some people might take the sacrifices made by our heroes to free this country from colonialism for granted but as young people, we must not forget where we came from as a country,” Ms Vuyelwa Gumede said.

Mrs Sikhathele Ndiweni brought her young grandchildren to the heroes’ acre for them to have a better understanding of what their grandfather, the late Cde Privilege Ndiweni, did to make Zimbabwe win the war of liberation.

“They were very young when their grandfather passed away in 2011, but I want them to grow up knowing that he is a hero who did a lot for this country” said Mrs Ndiweni.

In Bulawayo, Ms Philile Ncube, who comes from a family of liberation war fighters — her mother, father and uncle who are all buried at the provincial shrine in Nkulumane said the Heroes’ Day commemorations were special to them.

“This is my mother who lies buried here, she was a war veteran. It is important to remember them as they fought for the country’s liberation and the freedom that we have today,” she said. 

“Maybe without their contribution some of us wouldn’t be born. In our family I think we are privileged. It’s not just my mother but my father as well as my uncle and they are all buried here. 

“So in my family we have three people who joined the armed struggle. We feel honoured that they fought for our freedom and to have them buried here at the Provincial Heroes Acre in Nkulumane means a lot for us,” said Ms Ncube.

Mr Aldonia Gondo a youth from Gwanda District said the young people today enjoy the benefits of living in a liberated country thanks to the sacrifice of liberation fighters.

“The Heroes’ Day commemoration is a significant day to us as youths because the heroes that we are celebrating sacrificed their youth and lives so that we can be empowered. Today, as youths we have access to resources such as mines, farms, livestock, and stands thanks to our heroes. As a youth I value this day and I take pride in celebrating it,” he said.

 

 

You Might Also Like

Comments