ONE of the most senior ex-Zipra cadrés, William Sithole, whose armed struggle name was David Johns has died. BENSON DUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT
He died on Monday at Mater Dei Hospital after a long battle with a heart problem. He was 68.
Sithole joined the armed struggle in 1968 and received initial training in Morogoro, Tanzania, the same year.
In 1969, he went to the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republic for further military training, specialising in military engineering.
In 1971, he returned to Tanzania and worked with Ambrose Mutinhiri, Brigadier Abel Mazinyani and Jevan Maseko. That same year, Sithole was arrested by Zambian authorities after he was suspected of mutiny.
He was released and left for further studies in the United Kingdom.
A family spokesperson, Milton Sibanda, said Sithole’s body would lay in state at his Montrose house number 65 Ullswater Drive.
Today a church service will be held at Brethren in Christ Church (BICC) in Bulawayo central before burial at West Park Cemetery.
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“The body of my nephew will lie in state at his home today (yesterday) and a church service will then be held at BICC tomorrow (today) before we proceed to West Park, where he is going to be laid to rest,” Sibanda said.
“Sithole deserved to be declared a hero, but that depends on who you are.”
Zapu alternate secretary-general Strike Mnkandla said they would not ask from another party to declare Sithole a national hero, as Zanu PF did not know who their heroes are.
“We will not ask Zanu PF to declare Sithole a hero,” he said.
“They do not know who he was.”
Mnkandla went on to say as Zapu, they were not going to ask Zanu PF to control them on heros. Sithole left behind wife Rose and three daughters.
