Online Reporter
Gibson Nyikadzino, Zimpapers Politics Hub
TRIBUTES are flowing for veteran broadcaster Mr Joseph Madhimba, who died yesterday morning in Windhoek. Friends and former colleagues hailed Mr Madhimba as a humble icon, recognising his significant impact across the broadcasting, marketing, and academic fields in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Mr Madhimba, who became the face of the main news bulletin at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) in the years following Zimbabwe’s independence, died after a long illness following a stroke from which he never recovered.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.
Namibia Press Agency (NPA) Chief Commercial Officer and journalist Mr Confidence Musariri confirmed Mr Madhimba’s passing, noting that his influence extended beyond Zimbabwe into Namibia, where he worked as both a journalist and a lecturer.
“I can confirm that Mr Madhimba passed on today (yesterday) around 4am as a result of a stroke he suffered last year. He never recovered from it. Here in Namibia, he made his mark in both the media and education sectors, leaving a lasting legacy at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust),” said Mr Musariri.
He said that Mr Madhimba had worked at the Confidente newspaper and lectured at Nust, formerly known as the Polytechnic of Namibia.
In his tribute, ZBC Chief Correspondent Mr Reuben Barwe described his former colleague as an “icon” and a “newscaster of repute”, alongside peers such as Ms Busi Chindove, Mr Temba Hove, Mr Collin Harvey, and Mr Shingirai Tungwarara.
“I worked with Joseph Madhimba when I joined ZBC in 1985. During those days, his fellow newscasters were Shingi Tungwarara, Busi Chindove, Temba Hove, and Collin Harvey. He was a good, humble, and unassuming man, fluent in both English and French. When we talk of Madhimba, we are talking about an icon,” said Mr Barwe.
He noted that what set Mr Madhimba and his peers apart was their editorial involvement, as they not only read the news but also edited scripts before going on air.
“I last met him when I visited Namibia. Madhimba was an icon, cut from the same cloth as his peers, including people like Mike Munyati. They were newscasters of repute who took pride in their craft,” he said.
Ms Busi Chindove, Head of Corporate Affairs at Zimplats and a former co-presenter of the main news bulletin with Mr Madhimba, expressed her sorrow at his passing.
“I worked with Joseph Madhimba for many years. We often co-presented the main news bulletin. I learnt of his death with great sadness. He was very professional in his approach to work. His passing is a loss to both the marketing and broadcasting industries. My sincere condolences go out to his family and to all who had the privilege of working with him,” said Ms Chindove.
Londile Moyo