adminCde Nyathi died on Sunday at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after battling with a fungal infection of the stomach.
Speaking at the burial of Cde Nyathi, war veterans deputy secretary for welfare in the national executive Cde John Sibanda bemoaned the state of the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes’ Acre describing it as an eyesore.
He said the Governor’s office in Bulawayo should give the provincial shrine a facelift as soon as possible.
Cde Sibanda also called for the full participation of the Government in the burial of ex-freedom fighters.
Cde Sibanda said the family pays for almost everything to bury their beloved one even though a hero’s status would have been accorded to the dead ex-fighter.
“The family ends up being the ones who fund the burial like looking for people to dig the grave, a coffin, transport and so on. That burden is not supposed to be for them. I hope relevant authorities such as the
Governor will look into this issue as a matter of urgency,” said Cde Sibanda.
Speaking at the funeral, the heroine’s brother, Mr Gabriel Nyathi said as a family they had lost someone who was reliable and an asset to the family.
Bulawayo provincial administrator in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Cde Bornfas Ndlovu described the death of Cde Nyathi as a huge blow to the association, the province and the nation as a whole.
Cde Nyathi was born on 7 January 1960 at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo.
She did her primary education at Zimnyama Primary School in Mangwe before transferring to Lozikeyi Primary School in Makokoba.
On 18 December 1976 she joined the liberation struggle when she crossed into Botswana, stayed there for three days and was flown to Zambia.
In Zambia she stayed at Nampundu for a week before she was taken to Mwembeshi Camp where she trained with other freedom fighters for seven months.
Cde Nyathi was taken to Victory Camp where she stayed and served as a security officer until the ceasefire.
In 1980 she and other cadres assembled at Sierra Assembly Point, where she was demobilised.
Four children and eight grandchildren survive her.
Online Reporter