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CDE Thokozile Angela Mathuthu, a Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Matabeleland North Governor passed on at her home in Harare on August 13, 2018 after battling cancer. She was 61.
The late National Heroine was born on March 26, 1957 at Mpilo Hospital, Bulawayo, to Grace Ntuli and Misheck Gumbo. She was the first born in a family of six, comprising one boy, Gamelihle and four other girls: Sukoluhle (late), Sibongile, Sibusiso and Lindiwe.
She did primary education at Mzingwane Primary School from 1964 to 1970 before proceeding to Solusi Secondary School in 1971.
It is at Solusi Secondary that she met her husband, Jonathan Mathuthu.
Upon completing secondary education, Cde Mathuthu worked as a teacher and also worked for various private companies in different capacities and at one time rising through the ranks from being a clerk to become a senior manager. She came face-to-face with the harsh Rhodesian settler regime’s racist policies and repression at a young age around 1975 in Tinde when she was working as a temporary teacher.
These policies included low wages for blacks, racist recruitment policies and placements and general disenfranchisement. Driven by the desire to fight these Rhodesian excesses, Cde Mathuthu immediately joined politics, becoming a committee member of the Zapu Youth Wing marking the start of her contribution to the liberation struggle as a war collaborator. She risked her own life assisting freedom fighters.
In 1977, she got married to the love of her life, Jonathan Mathuthu, and they were later blessed with four children, two boys and two girls.
At the peak of the liberation struggle in 1978, Cde Mathuthu moved to Kamativi Tin Mine where she worked as a wages clerk. She continued to relentlessly support the liberation struggle as a war collaborator and worked with many other youths providing information and cooking for the liberation fighters.
Cde Mathuthu was also instrumental in providing the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) comrades that were based at the Old Gwai Mine until ceasefire in 1979 with accommodation and provisions.
When Zimbabwe attained Independence in 1980, Cde Mathuthu remained active in politics as a committee member of the Zapu Women’s Wing (Zawu). In 1982, she became deputy chairperson of the same wing in Nengasha District, Hwange.
Cde Mathuthu served under various portfolios within Zapu and played an important role as a member of the Task Force that spearheaded the integration of PF Zapu and Zanu-PF leading to the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987. As a member of Zanu-PF, she continued to exhibit true patriotism by serving diligently the various portfolios in both party and Government.
Cde Mathuthu’s hard work and perseverance paid off as she rose through the ranks in both the party and Government.
As Secretary for Administration in the Provincial Women’s League, Cde Mathuthu was part of the committee which advocated for the separation of Matabeleland North Province from Bulawayo Province.
The late National Heroine was also a champion of women empowerment working tirelessly at the provincial and national levels to improve livelihoods. She participated in many international conferences including those representing women’s interests like the Dakar Women’s preparation for the Beijing Conference.
In 2001, she was part of a delegation to the European Information Initiative Programme. In 2005, Cde Mathuthu was appointed Provincial Governor and Resident Minister for Matabeleland North.
In 2009, she was appointed a Member of the Zanu-PF Politburo. Cde Mathuthu was the longest serving Governor for Matabeleland North Province where she co-ordinated Government Programmes as delegated by the President. Some of the projects that she oversaw include the following:
Bubi-Lupane Dam.
Lupane State University
Decentralisation of the Department of Registry from Bulawayo to Lupane
Construction of Elitsheni Government Complex in Lupane
Construction of Civil servants houses in Lupane
Construction of Nkayi Magistrate Court
Construction of GMB depots at Lupane and Tsholotsho
Conceptualising the expansion of Victoria Falls Airport
In 2011, Cde Mathuthu was part of the delegation that participated in the Shanghai World Expo which was led by the late Vice-President Cde Joshua Nkomo.
In March 2012, she led the Provincial Chairpersons delegation to the People’s Republic of China to attend a Leadership Training Course.
In 2016, the late National Heroine was appointed Deputy Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, a post she held until 2017.
As Deputy Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services she was instrumental, working with then Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Cde Christopher Mushohwe, and the then Permanent Secretary, Cde George Charamba, in driving the Zimbabwe Digitalisation Programme to modernise broadcasting infrastructure in the country.
In 2017, Cde Mathuthu became Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Women’s Affairs, a position she held until the time of her death. Cde Mathuthu was a hardworking and dedicated cadre who rose through the ranks. At the time of her death she was studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Communication Studies with the Zimbabwe Open University. Her appointments in the Party and Government included the following:
1980-1982: Committee Member of Kamativi Zapu Women’s League (Zawu).
1982-1983: Deputy Chairperson of Zapu Women’s Wing (Zawu) for Nengasha District in Hwange.
1985-1987: Deputy Secretary for Administration in the Provincial Women’s League of the United Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province.
1987-1993: Secretary for Administration in the Provincial Women’s League, Matabeleland North Province
1994-1997: District Co-ordinator for Zanu-PF Hwange District.
1997-1999: Secretary for Transport and Social Welfare in the National Executive of the Zanu-PF Women’s League.
2000: Deputy Secretary for Transport and Social Welfare in the Politburo (Chairperson of the National Transport and Social Welfare Standing Committee).
2005: Secretary for Transport and Social Welfare in the Politburo.
2005-2013: Provincial Governor and Resident Minister for Matabeleland North.
2009: Committee Member of the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac)
2012: Zanu-PF Provincial Chairperson for Matabeleland North.
2013: Board Member Solusi Adventist Church 2014-2016: Secretary for Transport and Social Welfare in the Zanu-PF
Women’s League and Secretary for Gender and Culture in the Politburo.
2015: Deputy Chairperson for Pan African Parliament
2016: Deputy Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services. (Women’s league National Executive Council’s Secretary for Information and Publicity).
2017-2018: Deputy Secretary for Women’s Affairs.
Cde Mathuthu was unanimously declared a National Heroine by the Zanu-PF Politburo in recognition of her service to the nation.
The announcement of the National Heroine status was made by President Mnangagwa.
“We are so happy that the leadership has accorded her the status (National Heroine) and as President, I so declare.” President Mnangagwa said Cde Mathuthu had a long history of hard working in both the Party and Government.
Cde Mathuthu is survived by husband, Cde Jonathan Mathuthu and four children: two boys, (Norman and Nkosana); and two girls, (Sifiso and Nozipho).
Taken from A Guide to Heroes Acre
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