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War vets call for more resources

by Staff reporter
04 Sep 2018 at 01:35hrs | Views
WAR veterans in Bulawayo have called on Government to allocate more resources for their well-being as most of them sustained life threatening injuries and diseases during the war.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) Bulawayo province chairperson Cephas Ncube said the alarming rate at which war veterans were dying is a sign that something has to be done by the Government in terms of their welfare.

He said they were supposed to get good medical attention, since some of them were injured during the liberation war. He also called for the Government to take care of the families they leave behind. Ncube said this during the burial of provincial heroine Thandiwe Ncube (59) at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes' Acre in Nkulumane suburb yesterday.

"We want war vets to be catered for, including their families they leave behind. Our leaders should know that in as much as we fought for this country showcasing our bravery, we still need to be taken care of," said Ncube.

"Some of us, like our comrade here, were injured during the struggle and some of the illness that we are having developed during the war, hence we need good medical attention."

Thandiwe Ncube was injured during an enemy air and ground attack at Mkushi, Zambia and as a result she developed a heart problem, had scars and her two fingers were also injured.

"The rate at which we are dying is so alarming. We were here on Saturday burying one of our own. Tomorrow we will be burying another one. Again two others have also passed away in Tshabalala and Lobengula as we speak."

Ncube said the country is being robbed of fountains of knowledge and no one will be able to fill the gaps left by fallen heroes. He described Thandiwe Ncube as a brave cadre who fought for this country's independence alongside other powerful men and women.

"She was a devoted war veteran and she never changed. I salute her for sacrificing for the nation of Zimbabwe and for our province," said Ncube.

"She remained loyal to Zanu-PF up to the end and we encourage all war veterans to remain firm and unshaken. I know that we stay with everyone else in our communities but we should not trade our legacy for cheap political gains. We won't allow that."

Thandiwe Ncube, known as Selina Dube during the liberation war, was born on June 20, 1959 in Tsholotsho Nyamandlovu and died on August 29, 2018. She did her primary education at Thembile Primary School.

Ncube entered the political fray in 1977. During the liberation struggle, she crossed to Botswana to join the liberation war. She was later sent to Mkushi Girls' Training Camp in Zambia.

They were bombed by the Rhodesian Forces on October 19, 1978 but she survived the attack. She came to Zimbabwe in 1980 and was demobilised in Gweru at Sierra Assembly. In 1982 Ncube was elevated to the commissariat at Zanu-PF, a post she held for Cowdray Park district war veterans' association at the time of her death. She was also active in the ruling party women's league. Ncube is survived by her husband, four daughters and nine grandchildren.

Source - chronicle