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Lungelo Ndlovu
MAMA Johanna Mafuyana, the late widow of Father Zimbabwe, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, could be best described as the mother of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. Her relationship and commitment to Father Zimbabwe remains a poignant mark of the sacrifices made by wives of nationalists.Because of the choice by her husband to join the liberation struggle, which meant continuous stints in colonial jails and on the battle front, Mama Mafuyana was left with no choice but to marry the struggle itself. She died on June 3, 2003 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.

In the south-east of Matobo district lies Mbembeswana area, a semi-arid wilderness of enormous granite kopjes and golden savannah, a thorny white thicket that entices the eye from afar. This is a place where Mama Mafuyana was born on September 18, 1927 within the Nguni royalty.

Although she was conferred national hero status in June 2003 and buried at the National Heroes’ Acres, no projects of her legacy can be found yet in the area where she comes from.

That state of affairs is soon to change.
The Joshua Nkomo National Foundation and Mbembeswana Development Association have forged a community development partnership meant to perpetuate the legacy of Mama Mafuyana in the area where she was born, starting with the establishment of the Mama Mafuyana Secondary School.

“Our first partnership project here in Mbembeswana is the development of the Mama Mafuyana Secondary School. Development should start within the community. We welcome any support from the corporate sector to enable this socially desirable and sound initiative. The Joshua Nkomo Foundation will set the ball rolling by donating 30 bags of cement, 100 litres of paint and one beast,” said Jabulani Hadebe, the chief executive officer for Joshua Nkomo Foundation.

One of the Fuyana family members who identified herself as Miss Fuyana couldn’t hide her joy over the gesture saying it was long overdue.
“This is a huge gesture for the community of Mbembeswana. The secondary school will be the first of its kind to honour Mama Mafuyana. There’s no other project that was dedicated to her from this region,” said Miss Fuyana.

Mbembeswana community is lagging behind in infrastructural development and also in dire need of secondary schools as school children walk long distances to the nearest schools.

The councillor for Mbembeswana, Joel Ncube, said the community was happy with the development as it would shorten the distance covered by their children to secondary schools.

“We’re faced with a lack of secondary schools here in Mbembeswana. Our children are walking about sixteen kilometres to the nearest secondary schools. Mama Mafuyana secondary will ease the distance walked by our children as it’s central to other nearby communities. We’re really pleased to have such development in our community,” said Ncube.

Mama Mafuyana, as she was affectionately known by many Zimbabweans, was the second of three children of Paul Silwalume Fuyana and Maria Sithunzesimbi. She attended St Joseph’s Primary School and Empandeni.

She later went to work for the Dominican Sisters Convent in Bulawayo as a girls’ matron. She met Dr Joshua Nkomo during that time and they married in 1949. The couple was blessed with four children, Thandiwe Barbra, Ernest Thutani, Michael Sibangilizwe and Loise Sehlule.

Dr Joshua Nkomo loved his wife dearly and he also acknowledged the role and sacrifices she made to the family and the country. This is evidenced in one of his writings.

“My marriage was the best thing I ever did in my whole life,” he wrote. “In the 34 years of our marriage we have spent less than half the time together, but we have had a perfect understanding all the time.

“My wife has always borne the main responsibility of such property as we have owned: more, she has kept our family together, because all of us have always been confident that she would be there whatever happened.”

Mama Mafuyana was an embodiment of the quiet but unbending dignity of an Africa princess born and married to the turbulence of the struggle, never to enjoy the physical company of the beloved husband Joshua Nkomo, never to share the burden of bringing up her children.

President Mugabe’s description of Mama Mafuyana as an “African princess” was not a mere compliment; Mama Mafuyana was born within the Nguni royalty.

She had countless brushes with the illegitimate settler law herself which saw her being detained and barred from travel. Such was the order of the colonial day when a paranoid white settler regime even regarded mothers as security threats.

Mama Mafuyana did not relent in her contribution to the struggle as she acted as a conduit of information between incarcerated nationalists and the outside world.

The school development committee chairperson Stephen Maphosa said they needed three blocks to be recognised by the government.
“We’re fighting to establish three blocks so that the government chips in and we get recognised as a school. I would like to thank the Mbembeswana community for their commitment in setting up the first block. Parents helped in clearing of the land and painting of this block. So far we’re conducting lessons in this one block and form ones and form three conduct their classes there. We’re also grateful because the Joshua Nkomo Foundation saw it befitting to come and help us,” said Maphosa.

The chairman of Mbembeswana Development Association, Mbonisi Fuyana, said the community should fully utilise opportunities like these to develop their communities.

“This is an encouraging gesture for our people. If those who are in the Diaspora or those who have businesses in Bulawayo come and we build this community, we would be different. Development should be community-driven hence we need our people to help us in this regard,” said Fuyana.