Story by John Nhandara
The late national hero Cde Makhethi Ndebele has been described as an illustrious son of the soil who contributed immensely to the liberation and development of the country.
The family and colleagues of Cde Ndebele, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Jack Mpofu, thronged the shrine this Monday to bid farewell to a veteran of the liberation struggle.
Colleagues traced the late national heroes’ liberation war history and credentials.
“I knew Jack Mpofu from 1967 when I was commanding one camp outside Lusaka. He came with many other recruits from the Copperbelt.
“He joined the camp, and we gave them basic training. Later on, we took them to Morogoro, where they had proper training for many years. He was later chosen as an instructor. He was a good fighter and a marksman. His colleague, Cde Tshinga Dube.
“The late was a principled revolutionary. He joined the struggle at a tender age. He was a straightforward man. He was one of our commanders in the military wing of ZAPU which was ZIPRA. He was among those who trained at a tender age, we all went through his hands,” said another colleague, Cde Headman Moyo.
“He joined the liberation struggle in the 60s, he is among the first people who started the liberation struggle, the first people to create an armed wing. Very brave person mentally to understand who they were. I respect him, he is a national hero,” Cde Jabulani Sibanda said.
The family remains grateful to government for the honour bestowed on their loved one, reflecting on his contribution to the liberation of the country.
“We thank the government and the president for this recognition which is a due to his contribution to the liberation of the country. It is a rare opportunity which we will least forget as a family,” family spokesperson, Mr Pathisani Vundla noted.
Born in 1942, Cde Makhethi Ndebele succumbed to an asthma attack at his home in Bulawayo on the 28th of last month. He was 82.
He is survived by his wife Thokozile Mpofu, daughter Susan and three grandchildren.
