Life at the hands of Cuban instructors
IN this week’s Lest We Forget column we continue our interview with Cde Somandla Dube who survived the brutal bombing by the Rhodesian forces of a Zipra force camp at Mboma Camp near Luso in Angola.
In today’s instalment speaks to Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda about the situation at the Mboma Camp which was under Cuban instructors. The interview also gives an insight into the role that was played by the Cuban Government in the fight against imperialism in Southern Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular. Below are excerpts of the interview:
MS: Last week you spoke about your crossing into Botswana, can we pick this week’s conversation from there.
Cde Dube: The Botswana man, Ethan transported us to Nata, which was a small settlement then. He dropped us at Nata Police Station where we were locked in the holding cells and we were joined by five others to make us seven. Putting us in the holding cells, according to the Botswana police was to protect us since the Rhodesian forces used to carry out raids into Botswana. We spent three days at that police station and then we were moved to Francistown by that country’s soldiers. In Francistown the Botswana Defence Forces members dropped us at a house where we were vetted. MS: What were you being asked? Cde Dube: Questions were asked about where we came from and which military wing between Zipra and Zanla we intended to join. We were also asked if any among us had once joined the Rhodesian forces. Since we arrived at night, we slept there. The following day we were sent to the Francistown Camp which was adjacent to the BDF premises to the west of the hill which is visible as someone drives into Francistown along the RamakgwebanaFrancistown highway. I had never seen so many people living in one place such as the number of people I found in Francistown.
Cde Dube: There were thousands sleeping in tents, prefabricated barracks while others put up in the open. Hundreds of people were pouring from then Rhodesia on a daily basis. We were fed once as we were so many. Feeding would start as early as 8am until 5pm. Food was cooked in drums and those responsible for cooking would assume their duties as early as 10pm cooking for the following day. I stayed in Francistown for three months. The camp was now overflowing with people intending to go for guerilla training in Zambia. Efforts were made to de-congest by sending the elderly and minors to Dukwe Camp and Selibe Phikwe. From Francistown we were fl own to Lusaka in an airline which was popularly known as Denmark, among the recruits. After landing in Lusaka we were transported by Cruz trucks to Nampundwe transit camp where we arrived in the dark hours. I was a bit scared but anxious to be trained as a guerilla.
MS: When you arrived at Nampundwe who were some of the commanders there?
Cde Dube: orientation. Sooner than later, there was word doing the rounds that the party, Zapu, needed to send those with Ordinary levels to the Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic (GDR). Although I had not written my Ordinary Level exams, I felt I would qualify. I was too “naughty” for my age, and assimilated the introductory training and orientation much easier, maybe due to my background at Pupu in Lupane. Among the trained guerrillas who came carrying out the selection for those bound for the Soviet Union was the late national hero Cde Zenzo Ntuliki (Maphekapheka). I was among those selected. We started preparing ourselves for the trip by learning basic Russian words like tobarich (comrade), da (yes), niet (no) and arasho (good).
MS: So when did you finally leave for the Soviet Union?
Cde Dube:
MS: In previous interviews we did not speak about the training programme of the Cubans. May you please shed light on that?
Cde Dube: At Mboma we were organised into 12 companies, each having plus or minus 120 troops. Company one to company eight specialised in light infantry. Company nine was for the artillery specialising in the Gun 75 while company ten was for the mortar. Company 11 was that of the “sabadores” sabotage or demolition coy. Company 12 was for communication.
MS: Which company?
Cde Dube: I was in company eight whose chief instructor was Paulos Makwaibana (Rtd Chief Superintendent JJ Ndlovu) with Cde Problem Madlozi as the company commissar. Problem was the younger brother of the late national hero Cde George Silundika. Other instructors whom I still remember were Tsotsi (late Rtd Lt-Col Donatus Press) of company six, Cde Sikhathini, the late Sala (Kevin Sabelo Dube), Mabhuku and Tichaitora who headed the transport section. The camp commander was Cde Bhotsheni and the “jefe de todo” that is chief of staff was Cde Zulu. Also there was Cde Thembeni, who is the former chairman of the war veterans association, Jabulani Sibanda.
MS: During your training what were your specific targets?
Cde Dube: We were more like an advancedattack-assault-occupy and defend strategy than the usual hit and run guerilla tactic.
MS: Do you remember some of the Cuban instructors?
Cde Dube: During my training I got to know Cdes Maturela, Enrique and “Maswaya”, a Ndebele nickname he got from being stingy in dishing out food. The diet was so restricted, I don’t know whether that was deliberate, but I assume it was meant to prepare us for the hard times to come during operations. If you asked for some more, Maswaya would just look at you and say “pasa companero, comida en Zimbabwe”, which meant “pass comrade, you will eat in Zimbabwe”. The ration mainly consisted of rice, beans, tinned fish or tinned Russian meat and loose biscuits, which came in 20 litre tins from the USSR. MS: What about training? Cde Dube: That consisted of a comprehensive package of well structured physical exercises ( toyitoyi included), obstacle crossing, firearms handling, company advance, attack and withdrawal manoeuvres, political lessons, camouflage and concealment, map reading among others. It was during training that I got my second pseudo name of Machiquito from the Cubans due to my small body frame. Chico in Spanish means boy and Chinguito small boy. So by calling me Machiquito they meant “Mancane” in SiNdebele. As for the training it made us very strong and slim. As the training progressed, there was word that our mission was to march to Salisbury (Harare) by July/August 1979. We were raring to go until that fateful morning of 27 February 1979 when we were bombed by the Rhodesian forces while preparing to return to Zambia for deployment.