No feasting at Gwanda Independence celebrations as Chief Gumede remembers Gukurahundi in SA

Scores of predominantly ZANU PF supporters left Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda hungry and angry as there was no traditional feasting and drinking at the 34th Independence Celebrations.

It is the norm that at every independence celebrations the crowds are provided with a lot of game meat and isitshwala plus loads of traditional beer but this year there was not even a grain of maize meal at the Matabeleland South celebrations in Gwanda. Scores of people are always bused into the provincial capital from all the 13 districts of the province to bless the occasion, because of the distances covered and the length of the all day programme people are always provided with a lunch of game meat and Ingwebu traditional beer.

As per norm scores of people mostly elderly thronged the stadium with plates and jars hoping to be served the traditional lunch but alas there was nothing to that effect. So bad was the situation that members of the uniformed forces who provided the guard of honour and military displays were fed with a scoop of isitshwala and cabbage or beans prepared in a hurry at Gwanda Prison. Only the dignitaries managed to get themselves a little lunch which was served at a place away from the stadium.

Several people interviewed after the function expressed anger at how they had been treated by the organisers. The mostly aged people who attended the function claimed to have been ferried from places like Insiza and Beitbridge with a promise of a lunch to no avail. The poorly attended celebrations were generally a far cry of the usual organised celebrations. One of the people involved in the organisation of the celebrations blamed the poor turnout to clash with the Easter religious festivals refusing to explain what had happened to the traditional feasting referring questions to the Provincial Administrator.

Meanwhile, reports coming from the town indicate that the food for the celebrations was finally made available on Sunday, two days later. A council mobile public address system was dispatched in a haste around Gwanda Town inviting people to go to the old Zintec Site and have free meat and beer. A resident who could not miss the offer of a free lunch indicated that a few people responded to the call and were mostly the poor of the poorest from old Jahunda Township. According to him the people were fed with almost rotting game meat rumoured to have been a Giraffe and a mug each of traditional beer.

Across the Limpopo River in South Africa, "Chief" Zwelibanzi Gumede gathered his Ndebele people at Beria Park to "celebrate" the country's independence which ended up looking Gukurahundi atrocities memorial. Chief Gumede addressed his subjects throwing very strong tribal attacks at the ZANU PF government for the Gukurahundi massacres.