‘We were sold out by fellow comrades’

From Page 10

Senior Zipra commanders such as Lookout Masuku, Tshangane (late Retired MajorGeneral Jevan Maseko) and Masala Sibanda were close to my sister’s family. My sister and her husband even tried to talk me out of leaving the struggle and live a civilian life in Zambia, but I refused. It then happened that although there were moves to keep me in Zambia, I insisted on going to the front and the chance came when Tshangane, Cephas Cele and Kenny Malaba came to FC. I was part of a unit of 14 that was picked to go the front. We were driven to the border near Livingstone where we were deployed by Cde Todd Mpisi, who said we should move to Gwanda District.

MS: Take us through the deployment.

Cde Thodlana: We were driven in a Land Rover to a crossing spot along the Zambezi River and got there around 2pm. We should have been 100 or so metres from the river. The 14 of us then started arranging our things, loading magazines and so on. While others were arranging the kits, some went on patrol, in a clearance exercise of the area. Maphindela and I went in the same direction and I was taken aback when I heard the Land Rover hooting, to me it was not proper because that was not supposed to happen as the enemy could be alerted by such behaviour. When we returned where others were, I mentioned the issue of hooting and some said they did not hear anything. Anyway we continued with our preparations to cross. Among the comrades I was with were Makwesha, Jimmy, Lovemore, the one you wrote about on the Tjewondo battle in Kezi. We then decided that we will cross at 5pm. We started making security checks, using binoculars to check on the other side of Zambezi. What we saw shocked us.

MS: What was that?

Cde Thodlana: There were Rhodesian soldiers deployed across, those people had been tipped that we would cross and were waiting in ambush. Up to now I still believe we were sold out within the Zipra ranks. Why did the driver hoot, he was giving the signal to the enemy, it was not just coincidence. Many comrades were ambushed while trying to cross the Zambezi. MS: How did you react to that?

Cde Thodlana: While we were still trying to come to terms with what was happening, Cde Reggie, one of the comrades deployed in a unit that was tasked to monitor the crossing points arrived. He was shocked to learn that we were supposed to use that crossing point, he told us that it had been long condemned, deemed unfit and unsafe. That made us angry and we even planned to just harass those Rhodesian soldiers across to show them that we were aware of their presence. Reggie said we should not dare as they would summon helicopters, a move that would also affect innocent Zambian civilians. He then took us to a proper and designated crossing point, from where we made our way across the border without an incident.

To be continued next week