The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Tribute to Siziba, a legend in telecoms

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with the ZAPU delegation.

He then joined Government in 1980 working under the late national hero George Silundika who was then Minister of Roads, Post and Telecommun­ications as an assistant secretary.

Thereafter, he worked in the Ministry of Industry and Technology, having risen through the ranks to become under-secretary, then Deputy Permanent Secretary, the rank at which he left Government after eight years.

After leaving Government service, Siziba became an industrial­ist and establishe­d his own bicycle manufactur­ing company, Norton Cycles. He also ventured into the food sector being one of the first cornflakes manufactur­ers.

Siziba is celebrated as one of the pioneers of black empowermen­t and entreprene­urship in Zimbabwe.

He became an active driver of black empowermen­t, becoming leader of the Indigenous Business Developmen­t Centre (IBDC) which he co-founded in 1991 with Ben Mucheche, Leo Mugabe and Strive Masiyiwa.

In 1996, Siziba founded Cosmos Cellular as one of three companies that were service providers to the newly establishe­d NetOne, a state owned national mobile telecommun­ications company.

Cosmos Cellular grew to be a formidable company that assisted the expansion of cellular network coverage in Zimbabwe.

It also carried a number of community responsibi­lity programmes including sponsoring the Cosmos Cellular Football Challenge Cup between Dynamos and Highlander­s, Mthwakazi Golf Society and other sporting and cultural activities.

At the time of his death, he was involved in another game-changing project in the SADC region.

Siziba, as a socialite in Harare and Bulawayo circles, will be remembered for his love of good debates, love for Highlander­s Football Club and his witty humour.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, two children, and two grandchild­ren.

Mourners are gathered at number 75 Gamble Close in Borrowdale, Harare.

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Chemist Siziba
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