-NZ
IBHETSHU likaZulu Sunday held a sorrowful and touching memorial service in honour of 22 Gukurahundi victims who were burnt to death by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade soldiers in Tsholotsho in 1983.
The memorial service was held in the Emkhonyeni area under Chief’s Sipho’s area where the victims who include 21 women and a man were burnt to death on 16 March 1983.
“The victims were being accused of harbouring dissidents. The victims who included mostly women were commandeered to a hut that was set alight. A young man that the soldiers came across was asked to pull the bodies out of the rubble. He was later shot dead and burnt too. One of the victims escaped after running away,” said Fuzwayo.
The Ibhetshu Likazulu secretary-general said children at the village witnessed the horrific incident which left them traumatised.
“The horrific incident was witnessed by mostly kids. It was an emotional and traumatic incident for the children. Most of the people who witnessed the incident are now old. These people need to be emotionally rehabilitated,” said Fuzwayo.
The emotional event was graced by several chiefs from Matabeleland North province.
They included Chief Dakamela, Chief Tategulu, Chief Siphoso, Chief Gampu, and Chief Mathema.
Chief Siphoso who was the guest of honour unveiled a plaque inscribed with the nam
