Vusumuzi Dube
Wilbrought Ndlovu , Sunday News Reporter
FORMER freedom fighter Cde Gibson Ndebele who died last week and was declared a liberation war hero was buried at the Bulawayo Heroes Acre in Nkulumane on Thursday.
Cde Ndebele was described as a gallant son of the soil who could not sit back and let imperialists take charge of the country’s destiny but decided to join the liberation struggle and fight for the country’s independence.
Ministry Director finance, administration and human resources Mr Morres Mbewe, who was standing in for the Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, said Bulawayo, and the nation at large, was saddened by the death of Cde Ndebele, whose liberation war name was Fious Dube.
“It is another sad moment comrades and friends that we are gathered here to lay to rest one of our gallant sons of Zimbabwe, Cde Ndebele. It is painful to lose such a gallant son who bravely fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe,” said Mr Mbewe.
He expressed his condolences to the family saying the departure of Cde Ndebele had not only been felt by his immediate family, but also by the entire Bulawayo community who have also lost a beloved dedicated member and friend whose gap would be difficult to fill.
He said Cde Ndebele deserved a befitting sendoff of a liberation war hero because of his phenomenal and sterling works he exhibited during the war which were seen through his bravery and dedication to the emancipation of the country’s black population.
“Even though he is gone, his wondrous works as a liberator will not fade. We salute him for his accomplishment, hence people should not cry because today we are celebrating the life of a gallant liberation war hero of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Mr Abednico Ndebele, who was representing the family, said they were saddened by the death of his brother whom he described as a family pillar and unifier. He said the void he left in the family would be difficult to fill.
“As a family we lost a brother, a father, a pillar and a unifier. We are grateful to the Government and all stakeholders for according him the honour of liberation war hero status and laying him here,” he said.
He chronicled the life of Cde Ndebele, whom he said was born on 5 February 1960 at Sipepa Clinic, now a hospital in Tsholotsho District. He did his primary education at Sipepa Primary School and Tshefunde Primary School in the same district before transferring to Masuku Primary School and later Mahlabezulu in Bulawayo.
Cde Ndebele did Form One and Form Two at Ihlathi Secondary School in Tshabalala before proceeding to Zambia where he completed his O-level education.
He left the country in December 1976 for Botswana where he stayed in Francistown. He was then taken to Selebi phikwe where he stayed until he was flown to Lusaka, Zambia.
In 1979, he was taken for military training at Chinyunyu Training Centre near Zambezi River. He specialised in armoured machine the (tanker gunner) umabhidliza. After completing training, he stayed until the end of Lancaster House talks in 1980.
He was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army where he served until 1984 when he trained as a teacher at United College of Education, Bulawayo for three years. He taught in Filabusi from 1987 to 1988 and then moved to Gandangula Primary School in Lupane.
In 1989 he moved to Seziphile Primary School where he was promoted to a deputy headmaster until he retired in 2018.
He is survived by his wife and three children.
Online Reporter