Chiwenga consoles Jane Ngwenya family

VICE PRESIDENT Dr Constantino Chiwenga has sent his condolences to the Ngwenya family following the death of Jane Lungile Ngwenya, a veteran of the liberation struggle.

Ngwenya died on Thursday at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo where she was being treated.

She was 86.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Province has officially requested national heroine status for Ngwenya.

In a statement yesterday, VP Chiwenga described Ngwenya as a brave and courageous woman who took great risk by challenging the settler regime.

"Although I knew that she had not been well for some time, my prayers were for her speedy recovery and wellness. Her untimely death has pained not only her family and relatives, but all of us who knew and fought alongside her during the days of our liberation struggle.

"A veteran nationalist and freedom fighter, the name Jane Ngwenya will always remain etched in our memories, reminding us of a very brave and courageous woman who took great risks early in her life challenging the white settler colonial administrations for equal rights and privileges between blacks and whites."

Because of her aggressive political activism against colonial rule, VP Chiwenga said, Ngwenya experienced torture, harassment, pain and repeated incarceration in Rhodesian prisons and detention centres.

"A target for assassination by the brutal minority regime then, the late Ngwenya survived the plot on her life by skipping the border into exile in neighbouring Botswana and Zambia. She joined hands with fellow nationalist leaders in Zambia in organising the armed struggle from the rear. Ngwenya used her vocal skills on the Voice of Zambia to mobilise youths back home to join the armed struggle through her persuasive messages."

VP Chiwenga said after independence, she stayed the course by championing freedom, sovereignty and peace to the very end.