Retired Maj-General Nyathi leaves legacy of hard work

Harare Bureau
THE late national hero, Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi, was a reliable and disciplined man who leaves a legacy of hard work.

This was said yesterday by Nyathi family spokesperson Mr Samuel Mpabanga on the sidelines of Maj-Gen (Rtd) Nyathi’s memorial service at his home in Mabelreign, Harare.

He passed away at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital on Sunday last week. He was 61.

He will be buried at the National Heroes Acre tomorrow.

Mr Mpabanga said the family was proud of his service to the nation, which, he said was duly recognised.

“Even though he was younger than me, he was a very dependable and disciplined person who obeyed his parents; a busy young man who liked his books.

He was very intelligent and was not a problem to the family whatsoever.

“Despite the fact that he had to go to the liberation struggle outside the authority of my parents, he was still a disciplined boy who made that decision because of the prevailing situation at that time.”

His rise from junior ranks in the military, he added, showed his dedication and hard work.

“We say farewell to him and it is good that after his death people still remembered his good deeds.”

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Nyathi was born on September 12, 1960 in Mapate Village in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South. He did his primary education at Mapate Primary School between 1966 and 1972.

He proceeded to Manama Secondary School in Gwanda District for his secondary education from 1973 to 1976.

Maj-Gen Nyathi then joined the Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) after crossing into Zambia via Botswana on 27 January 1977.

He received military training at Chakwenga Guerrilla Training Camp One (CGT1) in Zambia that same year.

He later proceeded to the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for further military training in January 1978.

At Independence, he was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army on 1 June 1981.

He rose to the rank of Major-General in 2020 before retiring that same year.