PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has granted a State-assisted funeral for Zanu PF Matabeleland South Women's League provincial vice chairperson, Cde Evelyn Mpofu.

Cde Mpofu collapsed and died in Esigodini last Friday.

In a statement yesterday, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Mr Regis Chikowore said: "His Excellency the President, Dr E.D Mnangagwa, has directed that Cde Evelyn Mpofu, who was Zanu PF vice chairperson for Matabeleland South Provincial Women's League, be granted a State-assisted funeral."

Cde Mpofu was born on September 24, 1984 at United Bulawayo Hospitals and did her early primary education at Reigate School in Bulawayo up to Grade Five.

She then transferred to Mvuthu Primary School in Habane, Esigodini.

She did her secondary education at Mvuthu High School in the same area.

Cde Mpofu became actively involved in politics in 1998. She then joined the National Youth Service at Border Gezi Training Camp in 2001 and graduated the same year.

Upon her graduation, she was referred to Mbalabala School of Infantry for instructor training (training of trainees).

In 2002, she was posted to Dadaya Training Camp as a drill instructor.

She then moved to the Ministry of Youth as a youth officer in 2004 and became a member of the National Executive of the Youth League in 2013, before becoming the Secretary for Information and Publicity as well as a Central Committee member up to 2018.

Cde Mpofu was re-elected as the Deputy Secretary for Transport and Welfare in the National Executive of the Youth League until 2021 when she was elected into the Matabeleland South Provincial Women's League executive as the vice-chair.

She was part of the delegation that toured Russia in 2017 and the Zimbabwe Senior Cadre Investigation tour in Zhaotong, China, in February 2019.