Story by Tamuka Charakupa
FORMER Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) producer and presenter, Stanley Goredema, who died on Tuesday has been described by colleagues and family as a hard worker and a development-oriented person.
Goredema, aged 73, died at Kutama Mission Hospital in Zvimba after a long illness.
He was among the founding presenters of the then Radio 3, now Power FM, in the early 1980s. Goredema also served as a news producer, working alongside broadcasting stalwarts such as the late Josh Makawa, James Gora, Mike Mundwa, John Matimbe, Kudzi Marudza, and the then ZBC director, Cde Webster Shamu.
Reflecting on Goredema’s contribution, veteran broadcaster Mr James Gora described him as a humble man.
“He was one of the founding producer/presenters of the then Radio 3, now Power FM. Soon after Independence, the bosses, including Cde Webster Shamu, saw the need for a youth-focused radio station, and that is how Radio 3 came into being. Stanley was down-to-earth and always brightened up the newsroom.”
Family and friends who are gathered at his Musengezi homestead in Zvimba also chronicled his contribution to the nation, describing him as a hard worker and a development-oriented person.
“My husband was a good man. He was kind and committed to his work. He had great respect for his job and sometimes would leave the house as early as 1 am to attend his exhumation duties,” his wife Josline Mubaiwa said.
“My nephew was involved in the burial of all national heroes from as far back as the 1980s until his retirement in 2018. He did not stop serving the nation because he continued with the exhumation of freedom fighters under the Fallen Heroes Trust,” his uncle, Mr Harry Goredema added.
“We have lost a good neighbour who always pushed for the development of his community. We remember his role at the ZBC and NMMZ. He was indeed a loving person and a family champion,” Mr Washington Kariwo said.
“He helped at the Methodist Church where he was worshipping at. One thing he loved the most was his job, and he died with this legacy of having buried some of the prominent national heroes of the country at the national shrine,” Mr McDonald Mutatabikwa added.
After leaving ZBC, he joined the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, where he served for 35 years as a Principal Public Relations Officer before retiring in 2018.
In that capacity, his role included informing families of deceased heroes on government burial procedures while also playing a leading role in the exhumation of freedom fighters for proper reburials.
Goredema is survived by his wife and five children.
