adminMr Mathe, as he was popularly known, died April 24 at St Anne’s Hospital, Harare, and was laid to rest in his rural home at Dufuya Village, Lower Gweru.
He was instrumental figure in popularising the profession in the country. Mathe’s noble quest for the recognition of his beloved profession saw him work relentlessly to promote the development of social work institutions and bodies, such as the National Association of Social Workers, the International Federation of Social Workers, the Commonwealth Organisation on Social Work, the Social Workers Act of Zimbabwe (Chap 27:21) and the by-laws.
Mr Mathe worked with various international organisations and was also a founding member of the Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work and was on its executive board for many years.
He lives behind a wife, three children and five grandchildren.
Family spokesperson Mrs Lynett Njambi said her father’s death was a huge blow to the family.
“My father was pillar of the family. I could describe him as good, considerate and loving person who was always at hand to give advice on how to tackle problems. My father was so passionate about his profession. His work had a bearing in manner he related with us. He would relate every problem to work.
“The hole in us is so deep and the gap is left unfilled but we are grateful for the years we had him on this earth — that’s a silver lining. We thank the Lord for his years because he was more than just a father to us, he was a friend. My father was an amazing person. He was always so kind and considerate to everyone that everyone always welcomed seeing him at every opportunity,” she said.
Students and colleagues who interacted with the late Mr Mathe described his death as a loss to the social work fraternity not only in Zimbabwe and beyond the borders of Africa but to the globe as a whole.
Chairman of the Zimbabwe Council of Social Workers Philip Bohwasi described the death of Mr Mathe as a sad loss to the profession. Saying he would be remembered by most for his work in championing the Social Workers’ Act and service to the School of Social Work
“Mr Mathe did us proud. Josphat was always a stalwart member of the National Association of Social Workers (Zimbabwe). For many years he was deeply involved in building up the association and providing leadership and direction, including as national president.
“He was a founding member of the Council of Social Workers in Zimbabwe and was instrumental in drafting of the legislation that eventually set up the council,” he said.
Former principal of the School of Social Work Father Rogers said of the late Mathe: “I remember Joe well. Joe was a very sincere and knowledgeable person, who worked quietly behind the scenes to promote social work in Zimbabwe and Africa generally.”
Mr Mathe worked for Redd Barna and on behalf of his colleagues at Redd Barna, Mr Shumba said: “Joe was such an inspiration to work with. For him working for children was much more than work, it was a calling”.
Sue Dvorak-Peck, IFSW’s ambassador, notes: “I remember Josphat as very dedicated to IFSW and NASW-Z. He represented not only NASW-Z, but the entire African region with his expertise.
“He was a global team player who was ready, willing and able to work on behalf of IFSW and the social work profession. Josphat was an unassuming person who worked diligently over many years to achieve a multitude of goals for all social workers.” Charles Mbugua, the former IFSW Africa president, notes: “Joe was a committed social worker. I had the privilege of working with him closely.”
Former student Tsitsi-Stella Dangarembizi writes: “Oh what a blow the loss of Mr Joe Mathe is to our profession!
“He was a very humble but knowledgeable man, who imparted knowledge and skills in various ways to all of us his former students and peers alike. “
Lovemore Matikinyidze noted: “A sad loss indeed. We will forever be indebted to him for his sterling efforts to the development and recognition of the profession of social work in Zimbabwe. May his soul rest in peace.”
Prof Edwin Kaseke, former principal of the School of Social Work, now chair and Head of Social Work at the University of the Witwatersrand, lamented: “It is with great sadness that I have learnt of the passing on of Josphat Mathe. What a sad loss to the profession. My deepest condolences go to the family and the social work fraternity.”
A colleague from the School of Social Work in Zimbabwe and now Head of the School of Social Work in Botswana, Prof Rodreck Mupedziswa said: “It is with shock and a great sense of loss that I have just learnt about the untimely death of a dear comrade and former workmate, Josphat Mathe. This is indeed a sad loss to the profession; we have been robbed of an icon, and left much poorer. We shall, however, remember all his hard work in getting NASW moving and getting the Social Workers Act in place.”
Born in the Lower Gweru communal lands, on May 30, 1947, Joe attended Bembe St Joseph’s School in Lower Gweru and Railway Block School in Shurugwi for his primary schooling, before proceeding to Cyrene Mission near Bulawayo for his secondary education.
From August 1970 until February 1975, he worked for Textile Mills in Bulawayo as a despatch clerk.
He resigned to undertake the three-year Diploma in Social Work training programme at the School of Social Work, which he completed in 1977.
On completing the diploma programme, he joined the Department of Social Welfare as a social welfare officer. During his tenure with the department, based at Tredgold, in Bulawayo, he was appointed to establish a fully fledged district office in the mining town of Hwange in 1979.
This was a job he executed so well that in the same year, he was appointed administrator of a refugee camp for returnees in Plumtree.
Mr Mathe was also posted to another camp in Rusape for returning refugee children from Mozambique. In 1982, he took study leave to pursue studies leading to the Bachelor of Social Work degree.
Joe Mathe resigned from the Department of Social Welfare in February 1986 to take up a post as a lecturer at the School of Social Work.
While lecturing there, he also sat on the Board of Governors as representative of staff.
Mr Mathe left the School of Social Work in June 1986 to join Save the Children Norway (then called Redd Barna-Zimbabwe) as programme director.
He enrolled for a Master of Social Work degree programme which he completed in 1991.
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