Huge send-off for Eric Bloch

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HUNDREDS of people from all walks of life and diplomats yesterday thronged Athlone Cemetery in Northend, Bulawayo to witness the burial of economic commentator Eric Bloch at the Jewish section of the graveyard.

HUNDREDS of people from all walks of life and diplomats yesterday thronged Athlone Cemetery in Northend, Bulawayo to witness the burial of economic commentator Eric Bloch at the Jewish section of the graveyard. RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR REPORTER

Bloch died at his Kumalo home on Saturday evening after battling an undisclosed ailment.

The burial was modest and devoid of any flamboyance that has become synonymous with burials of prominent people of Bloch’s stature.

Bloch was laid to rest next to his wife Baile, who died in 2011, and close to where his father Hans and mother Elfriede Leonore are buried side by side.

Speaker after speaker described Bloch as a person who had the country’s interests at heart and a philanthropist.

His son Mark, who was the first to speak, described his late father as an eternal optimist, who had great hope for the country.

“We hope his legacy for this country will see the change in the country’s fortunes as he wanted. He always said things would change.

“We hope the powers that be will make these things happen. Our wish is for leaders of this country to make things possible,” he said.

“To see him during his last days was very difficult. He was willing to help others and put them before himself.

“He had high hopes for this country and wanted change for the better, but so many external factors prevented it from happening.”

Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo described Bloch as an illustrious son of the city and country.

“Bloch was born in South Africa, yes, but when they came to this country with his family, they adopted Bulawayo as their home and never left,” he said.

“He loved the country and was really patriotic. He made a name for himself and brought fame to the city of Bulawayo.

“He was an eternal optimist who fervently believed in the growth of this country and the region.

“He was the city’s ambassador. He believed in the Zambezi Water Project and was part of the committee at its early stages. He was a community builder and philanthropist,” he said. Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono also paid tribute to Bloch.

“Eric was my brother and I am his brother from another mother. I am here as a family friend and really saddened by the loss,” he said.

“In our imaginations yesterday sitting at home with Barry, Mark and Ruth, we imagined Eric giving advice to God on economic issues. That was what Eric was.”

Bloch was once an adviser to Gono during his tenure as the central bank chief.

Among the mourners were German and Australian ambassadors Hans Gnodtke and Matthew Neuhaus respectively, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, former Finance minister and Mavambo-Kusile-Dawn leader Simba Makoni, former Education minister David Coltart, veteran economist John Robertson, the late Vice-President John Landa Nkomo’s son, Jabulani, several businessmen and captains of industry.