adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Town secretary and renowned academic and businessman Dr Sipho Singo who died last Saturday has been declared a liberation war hero.The former freedom fighter, Dr Singo, succumbed to heart failure at the aged of 56 at Polokwane General Hospital in South Africa.
He will be buried at his farm in Mazunga today.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South vice chairman Cde Rabelani Choeni announced Dr Singo’s hero status during a funeral service held at Dulibadzimu Stadium yesterday morning.
“He was a seasoned freedom fighter who trained in Zambia before being posted to Ethiopia and Russia in the 1970s,” said Cde Choeni.
Speaking at the same service Beitbridge East MP and Home Affairs Minister Cde Kembo Mohadi said the country had been robbed of a great leader and strategist.
“We have lost one of the greatest minds and implementers in the country, who had a strong passion for development and was committed to ensuring the speedy transformation of Beitbridge Town into a modern economic zone and city,” said Cde Mohadi.
He described Dr Singo as passionate development agent who will be difficult to replace. Cde Mohadi said before his death Dr Singo had come up with a host of measures to speed up the completion of the Beitbridge redevelopment programme.
He said the Beitbridge redevelopment programme had taken long to complete due to lack of funding.
“Our town has become a model of development because of Dr Singo’s hands on approach and quality leadership skills,” said Cde Mohadi.
“We had lined up a number of capital projects together including the setting up of a university in Beitbridge and I want to assure you that as the political leaders we will carry forward that vision.”
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Egypt Aaron Maboyi Ncube said Dr Singo was a man who took developmental issues seriously.
“We will greatly miss this son of the soil who dedicated most of his life working towards the development of our town and the country as a whole.
“He left teaching at one of the biggest universities and chose to help government in the transformation of Beitbridge Town,” said Ambassador Ncube.
Dr Singo’s condition deteriorated on the day before his death and he was rushed to Musina Hospital on the following day. He was further referred to Polokwane Provincial Hospital where he died upon admission.
Dr Singo was born on March 28, 1958 in Gwanda in a family of 10. He is survived by his wife Agnes and daughter Tendani aged five.
Online Reporter