Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Post Reporter
THE description of deceased leaders in communities has often been spiced with the use, at times abuse – of the word visionary – but for the late, Dr Sydney Zikuzo Gata, who was buried at the National Heroes’ Arce on Wednesday, the term aptly suits this man of little words and hyper action.
In post-independence history of Zimbabwe, there was once a time when electricity outages were not an issue in this country.
Back then, after a rigorous analysis of the trends of power generation and supply across the country and in the region, Dr Gata told the nation of the challenges related to load shedding a decade before the calamity became a reality.
However, owing to funding gaps and glaring effects of climate change, corrective measure that ought to have been taken did not come to fruition, thus the Southern African region in general and Zimbabwe in particular reeled under biting power outages.
Member of the House of Assembly for Chipinge Central, Honourable Raymore Machingura said: “A lot has been said about him (the late Dr Gata), but one thing that caught my attention is the fact we have capable leaders in this country who are able to foretell some of the challenges that we are highly likely to face in future.
“Dr Gata was one of them. He foretold the challenges related to load shedding way before it was an issue. This was 10 years before Zimbabwe started experiencing the power outages we are currently going through.
“We all know that owing to funding gaps, worsened by sanctions, and the climate change related challenges, as a nation we could not be adequately proactive based on what a visionary leader like Dr Gata had advised us.”
Dr Gata was a distinguished energy, power and infrastructure development specialist.
He introduced strategic reforms that improved service delivery in the electricity sector.
He broke racial barriers as the first black general manager of the Electricity Supply Commission back in 1981.
He held various leadership roles at ZESA and international energy bodies, including the World Energy Council.
Dr Gata was credited for fostering a result driven culture and believed in meritocracy.
He is survived by his wife, Honourable Angeline Gata (Musikavanhu-Mutema Constituency House of Assembly representative and Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister, nine children and six grandchildren. Honourable Machingura added: “His death is a sad loss to his family, and to us who knew him personally.
‘‘By the way, his father and my grandfather were very, very close. They started a church which was called Independent African Church in 1946.
“There were fights based on why they had named the church ‘Independent’ African Church. Up to this time that is the name that the church is still using. It is also called Mushakata. His father was the secretary-general of the church. He never reneged on the duties, including helping the church on all their needs. The late national hero Dr Gata did the same.
“What I have learnt now is that whatever children learn from their parents; they are most likely to become. The legacy that Dr Gata’s parents left was evident on him and his siblings. We have lost an honourable man.”
Dr Gata also served local communities of Mutema, Chipangayi and Chipinge District in general, diligently.
“If you look around here at his farm, he managed to change the face of the place. It could have changed more if he was to live longer. He was planning to turn this area into an economic hub. He wanted to construct a hotel near Rupise uphill, and a service station. He wanted to make this area an economic centre so that travellers, farmers and locals would benefit from the development.
“The farmers were talking about Dr Gata’s assistance in ensuring that they beat energy challenges in this area. They complained a lot about exorbitant charges of electricity in irrigation, and he came in and alleviated that problem.
“He gave them pumps and revived irrigation projects in this area. He was also talking about a solar project, but the project had not yet materialised at the time of his untimely death.
“Those in the education sector told us about how they are now being able to offer ICT lessons to learners in rural communities here in Chipinge District, and that was also part of Dr Gata’s helping hand. The same can be said about how chiefs’ dignity was restored when Dr Gata’s leadership at ZESA ensured that their homesteads were electrified. Dr Gata was a very good man to everyone who knew him” said Honourable Machingura.
This is not all about the late Dr Gata.
He had an astounding political consciousness.
Former Chipinge Rural District Council Ward 20 councillor, Cde Hlekani Mtetwa, said: “We have lost a good man in the late Dr Gata. Particularly here in Chipinge, more so, for us who were more of fellow national hero, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole’s disciples. We had several meetings with Dr Gata here at his farm and at former ZANU leader, Cde Wilson Tarugarira Khumbula – all in efforts to unite ZANU PF and ZANU (Ndonga). It was a success.
“Dr Gata’s story can never be deemed complete without mention of his key role in uniting the two political parties – ZANU PF and ZANU here in Chipinge. For those who lived during the time that ZANU was a household name in Chipinge and surrounding areas, they would better understand the enormous work that was required to bring everyone to the table and speak with one voice.”
He was a family man, too!
Dr Gata’s first born son, Mr Henry Takudzwa Gata described his father as a loving and caring family man.
“I think everyone agrees that my father did a lot in trying to help everyone, at individual up to community and national levels. He was very helpful in ensuring that everyone from the Gata extended family goes to school.
“His input in community development projects, with a bias to his chosen energy sector work, is beyond reproach. The same goes for his input towards national and regional energy sector energy sector development work.”
The late Dr Gata’s young brother, Mr Henry Gondai Gata – the eight born in a family of 10 children of six boys and four girls, where Dr Gata was the fourth born – said: “Dr Gata helped many people especially in attaining educational qualifications, especially in the Gata extended family.
“The man provided food to many families on a monthly basis, both from the Gata extended family as well as other community members. He was a kind man.”
