daniel chigunwe
Lovemore Dube
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE 1988-89 Highlanders chairman, Josiah Dube, was laid to rest at Inyathi Mission’s Emhlangeni Cemetery yesterday.
He died at his Inyathi Centre home on Friday after a long battle with ill health at the age of 87.
He leaves behind his wife Caroline, daughter Simangaliso, and sons Sifiso and Sipho.
His burial was attended by hundreds of people, who included Chiefs’ Council boss Mtshani Khumalo, several government department bosses from the region, and senior members of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa.
The former Highlanders chairman, born in the Inyathi Area of Dromoland in 1937, was the last born in a family of 10 whose eldest brother, Elijah, was born in 1910.
Of the siblings, Josiah was the only survivor, and his death was described by family spokesperson Elkanah Dube as sunset. He said Josiah had left a void that would never be filled.
His family was removed and pushed to Nkayi after Lonhro acquired Dromoland.
They settled at Zenka, where Josiah attended school, and he completed his primary school education at Ingwenya Mission, now John Tallach, in Ntabazinduna.
After a brief teaching sojourn at Magazi Primary School in Nkayi, in 1953 he enrolled at Mbuma Teacher’s Training School in the district for a two-year course, which he completed in 1955.
Josiah did his “O’ levels at Matopo Mission, and as studious or keen on education, he found himself in class again in 1960 and 1961, studying electrical installations at Luveve Technical School.
While at Luveve, he became Youth Branch chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Josiah was expelled for his political activism after he boldly stood at assembly and sang ‘Nkosi Sikelelela iAfrica’ alone, defying the institution’s White authorities.
Between 1968 and 1969, Elkanah, in his speech, said Josiah obtained his ‘A’ Level certificate through correspondence.
Between 1970 and 1972, Josiah studied for a Bachelor of Sociology degree at the University of Rhodesia, now the University of Zimbabwe, where again he dabbled in politics.
Twice he was detained, six weeks in 1970 and 10 in 1972.
From 1973 to 1977, he worked as an insurance policy salesman at Legal and General in Bulawayo.
In 1977 he crossed the border into Botswana en route to Zambia to join the struggle.
“In June 1977, when he could no longer stomach the politics of the day, whereby the country’s racist and oppressive regime enforced strict segregation, discrimination, and violence against Blacks, he left Rhodesia via Botswana en route to Zambia to join the liberation struggle,” said Elkanah.
On arrival in Zambia, Zapu sent him to Moscow, Russia, to study politics and trade unionism, a course he completed in 1978 at the Moscow Trade Union College.
Josiah was Director of Zapu (Administration and Secretary for the Revolutionary Council) between 1978 and October 1980.
A survivor of the 1978 bombings, he was a member of the Zapu Central Committee until the Unity Accord in 1987. Upon returning to civilian life far from politics, Josiah was the general agency manager for an insurance company before being made regional manager at Fidelity Life. He became Highlanders chairman in 1988, leading the club to a trophy haul only matched by the 1986 run.
Luke Mankandla, the Highlanders board chairman, who was a committee member when they were recalled by members in 1989, said Josiah had suffered that embarrassment because of his being a good man.
“There was a bad apple in the executive; members were agitated and baying for his blood, but Josiah stood by our colleague, who was wrong, and we were booted out,” said Mnkandla. He added that before Dube was club chairman, his cars were never available to accompany Highlanders wherever the team played.
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