Bunjiwe Mkwananzi
Online Writer
TSHOLOTSHO and the wider tailoring community are mourning the passing of Onesimus Siakubuza, popularly known as “Mathunga’s Pride”.
Siakubuza died in Harare on 5 July. He was 56.
Family sources said he complained of a tummy ache and hi wife traveled to Harare and found him lifeless.
Born in Bulawayo in 1969, Siakubuza left home at a tender age for Zambia, where he completed his early education. Upon returning to Zimbabwe, life was far from easy; his first job was working as a janitor at a clothing factory in Bulawayo. The humble role ultimately became the foundation of a lasting legacy.
When the machines fell silent and the tailors knocked off for the day, Siakubuza stayed behind. With a broom in one hand and curiosity in the other, he would watch, learn, and practice. Night after night, he taught himself how to cut, stitch, and sew.
Using savings from his meagre janitor’s salary, he eventually bought his first sewing machine. That single machine marked the birth of Mathunga’s Pride — a brand name that would later become synonymous with high-quality regalia and skills development across Matabeleland and beyond.
From that solitary machine, the business flourished. At the time of his passing, Mathunga’s Pride operated a full-scale factory supplying ZANU PF regalia across Matabeleland, Midlands, Harare, and parts of Mashonaland.
Beyond his commercial success, Siakubuza was deeply committed to passing on his craft. In partnership with the
Tsholotsho South legislator, Musa Ncube, he ran a dressmaking school in Tsholotsho. The academy trained at least 20 students every year, focusing specifically on empowering local women and youth. It was this spirit of community upliftment that touched so many lives.
Rodney Rubvuta of Rub-Media, a neighbour at the business complex where they both operated, paid a moving tribute:
“He was a humble man with a passion for changing people’s lives for the better. The women and youth in the district will feel this massive loss. If Sa Winnie does not qualify to be a hero, I do not know who does.”
Just last month, Mathunga’s Pride showcased its work at the Matabeleland North SMEs Expo in Lupane. The display was celebrated as one of the finest at the exhibition, earning the company a coveted slot at the national indaba set for later this month.
Arrangements are underway for his body to travel to Bulawayo, en route to Mhlahlo Village in Tsholotsho, where the family has confirmed he will be laid to rest at his rural home, on saturday.
He was a janitor who refused to be defined by his job, a teacher who built a factory, and whose pride lives on in every stitch and every student he trained.
Siakubuza is survived by his wife Alice Ncube, seven children, and six grandchildren.
