Women forget gallant daughter on women's day

Saturday 8 March was officially declared as the International Women's Day (IWD), a day in which the world takes time to reflect on women challenges and achievements. Several women who have defied odds and stereotypes are usually mentioned and honoured in several festivities world over.

This Saturday in very rainy and isolated Matobo South Village of Mzansi under chief Malaya a young lady lay quietly in peace in her coffin as mourning, dejected and confused villagers lowered her coffin into her muddy grave with no recognition for her resilience. While her coffin was touching the muddy ground and heavy clay being thrown over her to fare her well, several women's rights organisations and activists across the country were wining and dining oblivious of this gallant Zimbabwean daughter.

Young Sipho Ntiweni died as the only female miner of 25 Zimbabweans who were pulled out of the Durban Deep Mine in Roodepoort Johannesburg . Sipho found herself illegally digging for gold miles down a foreign mine trying to make a living for her only ten year old child, her widowed mother and young siblings.

As government for some reason ignored declaring this disaster a national disaster, it surprisingly also passed over women's organisations and activists to remember one of their own gallant souls on a day she deserved just more than mention but honour.

In their Womens' Day commemoration statement, Womens's Coalition of Zimbabwe reiterated their commitment to honouring women of all stature across the country, but how Sipho's fate missed their commitment surprises many. Women parliamentarians Ms Thabitha Khumalo MDC T and Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Eunice Sandi Moyo were seen jostling to be given a slot to address mourners at the parlour in Bulawayo before the bodies were dispatched to their respective burial places. They both immediately disappeared from the scene as soon as they were denied the chance to speak forgetting about the female victim amongst the bodies they wanted to talk about.

Meanwhile, speaking at Sipho's burial, the Chairperson of Matobo Rural District Council, Councillor Henry Ncube castigated government for failing to create employment in the country resulting in many of the country's productive workforce seeking a living outside the country and coming back in coffins. Former Senator for Matobo Annanias Nyathi encouraged youth not to flee the country but register with government for farming land and mining claims which have been made available by government.

The local Member of Parliament Saul Mahalima Ncube made a brief appearance at the funeral but could not stand the heavy rains and left before the burial was done. The burial was held late in the evening as the advanced state of decomposition of the body could not allow for the body to be kept overnight nor wait any longer for burial.

Addressing mourners, a family spokesperson also echoed Ncube's sentiments blaming government for failing to come up with job opportunities for its young people. Speaking as one of the people who were actually involved in the rescue operation on the ground the speaker thanked the ZAPU membership in South Africa for being there with and for them through the difficult times. He went further to castigate politicians who want to be identified with people only when its election time and disappearing after getting votes. He said some even decide to desert their places of origin and come and fight to represent women of Matabeleland and yet don't take time to come and attend to issues affecting women in the region. His statement could be inferring to MDC led by Welshman Ncube's women quota representative for Matabeleland South Ms Priscillia Misihairambwi Mushonga who jostled her way to represent Matabeleland South women in parliament while she is known to be from Harare.

Speaking on the sidelines of the funeral, the ZAPU Youth Provincial Chairman for Matabeleland South Mncedisi Tshabalala hailed Sipho as a fighter and a heroine worth mentioning in the history of struggles of young women in Zimbabwe. He lamented the lack of commitment by the ruling ZANU PF to the devolution of power saying had it been in place, Sipho would have been declared a Provincial Heroine and the whole incident a national disaster.