Wallace Ruzvidzo, Herald Reporter
The warm golden light of the morning sun could not brighten the sombre faces that thronged the National Heroes Acre yesterday to bid farewell to one of the country's pioneer combatants.
General (Rtd) Cde Makhethi Ndebele, whose nom de guerre was Cde Jack Mpofu, was among the first 200 cadres to join the liberation struggle in 1967.
And whoever was heard talking about the 82-year-old war veteran had nothing, but words of praise, spoken in tones of reverence, with much emphasis on his humility.
Those who could, partook in song and dance, their vibrant voices and colourful traditional attire a stark contrast to the sombre mood, but for some, especially those who worked closely with him during the liberation struggle, it was a time of reflection and introspection, as reality had struck like a cold winter breeze.
President Mnangagwa, resplendent in a black suit, presided over the burial, and by 9.45am, the multitudes, a kaleidoscope of colours, including Vice Presidents Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Cde Kembo Mohadi, Cabinet ministers, Zanu PF Politburo members, Deputy Ministers, senior Government officials, and people from different sectors of society, had settled in for the proceedings.
Also in attendance were hundreds of military personnel who came to honour the liberation struggle stalwart and former member of the ZIPRA High Command.
The gun carriage, draped in the national flag, bearing the late Cde Ndebele's body, arrived at the National Shrine on time, with President Mnangagwa's motorcade right behind, marking the beginning of proceedings.
Soon after the arrival of the funeral cortège, the procession to the tomb of the unknown soldier began, itself a solemn march, with President Mnangagwa following closely behind.
Pallbearers carried the casket, draped in the national flag, and placed it in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with the bearer party immediately moving off and replacing the headdress.
The opening prayer, made by the charismatic preacher, charged with the duty, was so vehement that attendees almost jumped off their seats in ululation, as if a manifestation of spiritual sort had engulfed the national shrine, bathing it in an otherworldly light.
After the President's eulogy, the casket was placed at the graveside, a final resting place, and subsequently lowered into Cde Ndebele's final resting place, amidst a flurry of colourful wreaths.
As is tradition, after the lowering of the casket into the grave, the Firing Party Number 1, made up of members of the Zimbabwe National Army, presented arms, a salute of respect, and then shouldered the arms, firing three volleys as a sign of respect to the national hero, the sound echoing through the stillness like a final farewell.
In an interview at the burial, Zanu PF Politburo member Cde Tshinga Dube, who took Cde Ndebele through the army orientation when he joined the liberation struggle, described the late national hero as a hardworking and "very dedicated" cadre.
"He was a good fighter and sportsman, he worked very hard.
"He was a very dedicated cadre and one of the longest serving ones, I remember he came to join us in 1967 at a camp which was holding all recruits who were coming in and he behaved very well,rising through the ranks in the High Command," he said.
A principled revolutionary was how Cde Ndebele was described by Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Deputy Minister Headman Moyo, who went on to divulge that he had been taken through military orientation by the late national hero.
"The late was a principled revolutionary, he was a straightforward man and one of our commanders in the military wing of ZAPU which was ZIPRA.
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"He was in the High Command and was among those who trained at a very tender age that is why he rose through the ranks.
"The late oriented all of us, we all went through his hands, he is the one who taught us to be disciplined and focused and most of all to know what we were fighting for," he said.
Cde Ndebele's nephew, Lt Col (Rtd) Patrick Vundla had nothing but praise for the Second Republic for bestowing Cde Ndebele with the highest honour.
"We would like to sincerely thank His Excellency the President for the recognition of his unwavering determination and contribution to the fruits that we all enjoy today".
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the late national hero had remained loyal throughout his life.
