Former Zimpapers staffer dies

Vusumuzi Dube

FORMER Zimpapers staffer, Mrs Thenjiwe Dube has died.

She was 64.

Mrs Dube (nee Mdlongwa) who served the Zimpapers Bulawayo branch for 32 years before her retirement in March 2015 passed away on Wednesday morning at a local private hospital due to an infection in the stomach.

She rose through the ranks from the position of a typist to becoming the Sunday News editor’s secretary a position she held until her retirement.

Her husband, Mr Adam Bango Dube described his wife as a hard worker who was always in the forefront of developing her community.

“This is a great loss for us as a family and the community at large. She was a wonderful woman; she was part of a lot of community organisations, she was a church leader, a treasurer of her Roman Catholic diocese.

“She was also a mentor of the Bango family, she wanted to see the family united all the time, she would actually be hurt if a family member did not toe the line, she would always lead by example. She is one person who would smile every time even when chips were down,” said Mr Dube.

He further revealed that his wife was one person who liked education and was always pushing that everyone, including herself get some form of qualification.

“When I married her she did not have any significant academic qualification. She studied while she was raising our children. She completed her Ordinary level in three years, went on to complete her Advanced level. She then went to university and did her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Studies and also a post-graduate degree in Development Studies.

“She always wanted to achieve and wanted her children and myself to achieve, as it is all our children are very educated, we actually have two PhD holders in the family, she gave an exemplary life in all that she did,” said Mr Dube.

She will be buried at Mvutshwa Cemetery on Saturday.

She is survived by her husband, four children, three sons and a daughter as well as six grandchildren.

Mourners are gathered at the family residence, Number 16A Cypress Drive in Newton West.