HWANGE- Former deputy minister and Zanu PF Women’s League deputy secretary Thokozile Mathuthu’s send-off funeral service was a low key event as a small crowd turned up at the Colliery Stadium on Thursday.
Mathuthu, a former Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, who also served a few weeks as Minister of State for Matabeleland North last year, died early Monday aged 61 after succumbing to cancer.
While top Zanu-PF leadership showered Mathuthu with praises and also declared her a national heroine, the situation was different in her own district of Hwange where she lived most of her political career.
Mathuthu’s body was flown to Hwange Thursday morning so her own people could pay their last respects to her.
A sizeable crowd attended the service raising questions whether Mathuthu was really popular in her own district.
The crowd was mainly made up of Zanu-PF top leadership including Minister of State for Matabeleland North Cain Mathema, Minister Sithembiso Nyoni, Tambudzani Mohadi and the party’s provincial leadership, heads of various government departments, uniformed forces as well as Chiefs Dingane Nelukoba, Mabhikwa and Nekatambe.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some party members said people stayed away in protest.
“It’s not surprising that there are a few people. This is just to show how she was working with people. She doesn’t have any sustainable project that she started for youths and not even a business that provided employment. When she was appointed to higher position she quickly abandoned her people,” said a party member.
Another one said what happened Thursday was likely to happen when some senior politicians from the province (names given), die.
However, speakers were not deterred by the small crowd as they took turns to celebrate what they termed an illustrious legacy left by Mathuthu.
Her husband Jonathan Mathuthu said he isn’t mourning but celebrating a legacy she left behind, especially in their 40 years of marriage.
Minister Mathema said: “She was a businesswoman who was consistent and persistent in her work. One thing to note about her was that she was not a tribalist; to her there was no Shona, Ndebele or Tonga which shows that he was a true revolutionary.”
Minister Nyoni referred to Mathuthu as intelligent and streetwise, saying she used to lead Zanu-PF’s steering committees for the party’s conferences.
Mohadi who was standing in for the party’s Womens League secretary Marble Chinomona echoed saying Mathuthu didn’t discriminate people based on language or tribe.
“She was a brave dedicated woman who never looked back,” said Mohadi, the ex-wife to vice president Kembo Mohadi.
Also in Hwange was Bulawayo Minister of State Angeline Masuku who however didn’t attend the service at the stadium because of her condition.
The body lay in state at the family house in Empumalanga suburb and was flown to Bulawayo Friday morning for another service.
It will be flown again to Harare for burial on Sunday at the national Heroes Acre.
