peter
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
IT was pomp and fanfare for Manyane (Sihwaba) villagers in Matobo South last Friday as they celebrated the renaming of Sihwaba Primary School to Mtshumayeli Primary School in honour of Mr Joseph Mtshumayeli Ngwenya whose benevolence resulted in the construction of the school.
The recognition comes at a time when the community was also remembering the contribution of Mr Ngwenya to the liberation struggle ahead of Independence Day celebrations. Mr Ngwenya who was into transport business during the days of the struggle for independence would avail his Pelandaba buses to ferry recruits bound for training in Botswana and evading detection and arrest by the Rhodesian forces at great personal risk.
He also helped the community build the school among other community work he did throughout the province.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education representative, Matobo South District Schools Inspector Mr Nicholas Moyo commended the Ngwenya family for supporting the community in developing the education sector.
“I would like to appreciate the Mtshumayeli family in the name of Joseph Mtshumayeli who built this block. We are all gathered here to honour the works of the Mtshumayeli family who have shown a sense of ploughing back to the community. This goes hand in glove with the philosophy: (Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo, Isigaba sakhiwa ngabaniniso) which is one of our Vision 2030 goals,” said Mr Moyo.
He encouraged the community to emulate what the Mtshumayeli family did saying it was part of the ministry’s thrust to develop communities through Private- Public-Partnerships.
“To achieve the aforementioned areas, there is need for Private-Public-Partnership as has been demonstrated by the Mtshumayeli family. So, I challenge you to feel obliged to donate, develop and partake in the various development initiatives at schools in your communities so as to attain the upper middle-class economy by 2030.
One of the late Joseph Mtshumayeli’s sons Mr Sidinga Ngwenya (60) said he was delighted that the community saw it fit to honour the works of his father.
“I am very happy that the community saw it fit to appreciate what my father had done for them. Though my father indeed built the school, the community themselves initiated the change of the name which really makes me happy.
“As a family we will do our best to continue with our father’s legacy of helping the community. We are already offering various services to the community in terms of transport and grocery shops. We will continue to empower the very communities we render services to. We are working on getting donors to improve the community we work in,” said Mr Ngwenya.
One of the late Joseph Mtshumayeli’s daughters Ms Khelitha Ngwenya said the family remained united in upholding their father’s legacy.
“I shed tears of joy that my father did very well for the community which we also witnessed. Though it took time to change the name but we appreciate the community for taking such an initiative. We expect more support from the community and wish to expand the establishment. We attended as a whole family today because we are united.”
Historian Mr Pathisa Nyathi said Pelandaba buses played a role in the liberation struggle.
“On the 27th of March 2020, there was a scheduled meeting at Manyane (Sihwaba) to which I was invited. The function sought, among other things, to celebrate the change of name of a single classroom block school from Sihwaba to Joseph Mtshumayeli. The change was in recognition of his contribution to the liberation struggle by availing his buses to ferry would be-recruits bound for Botswana. There was a time when the Pelandaba bus fleet was massive. Most of the buses plied routes to Matabeleland South: Kafusi River, Kafusi Dam, Sankonjana, Mankonkoni, Mambale, Beula-Seula, inter alia. Of particular note was Bus Number 12, uMagudukubhema, so named after Joseph Mtshumayeli Ngwenya’s grandfather.
“When the struggle picked up pace later on, the buses were used to ferry would-be recruits wanting to get as close to the border with Botswana as possible. Pelandaba buses never disappointed. It is thus befitting that Joseph Mtshumayeli Ngwenya be honoured. He certainly is one of the unsung heroes whose benevolence resulted in the construction of the school, in addition to assisting in the liberation struggle,” said Mr Nyathi.
Mr Joseph Mtshumayeli Ngwenya died in 1996.
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