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‘Sell-out nearly cost me my life’

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The story of Raviro Zvirevashe

THE horrendous yoke of colonialism saw me participating in the liberation struggle as a mere 14-year-old in 1976.
My mother convinced me to assist the freedom fighters because war was the only way to remove the brutal colonial regime.
As collaborators, our main responsibility was to carry food to the bases and supply freedom fighters with information about the operations of the Rhodesian forces, among other duties.
We served as the eye and ears of the freedom fighters who only moved and operated during the night.
The life of a collaborator was risky; drastic measures and punishment were meted out by the Rhodies against those caught assisting ‘terrorists’.
They were brutal so as to deter the masses from assisting freedom fighters.
But we were not discouraged nor deterred; we were young and energetic, eager to assist.
In fact, we had not much choice, it was better to die fighting than live under oppressive conditions.
We did not get military training and only carried guns when helping them move between bases.
But we were not afraid to be in the thick of things.
I operated together with Georgina Maziofa, Racy and Elizabeth Bunyeya, among other girls from my home village, Hozvi, in Bikita.
In mid-1978 I escaped death by a whisker when we were attacked by Rhodesian forces at a base on Chifire Mountain.
This attack came when memories of Nyadzonia and Chimoio refugee camps in Mozambique were still fresh. When these major camps were attacked, more than 5 000 women and children refugees were massacred.
And little did we know they we were about to relive the horrors of war first hand like what had happened in Mozambique.
On this fateful day I was called to the base to collect tattered and torn clothes from vanamukoma which were supposed to be mended by my mother.
On this particular day the atmosphere was ‘tense’ and it was misty. I felt uneasy but soon shrugged off this anxiety.
Upon my arrival, just before I greeted the comrades, a spotter jet flew over the base and we knew an attack was imminent.
In no time the sky was filled with ugly helicopters dropping paratroopers and bombs.
Kwaiva kutanga kwehondo.
Liberation fighters at the base included Cde Gora, Cde Miniskirt Chando, Cde Tanazviuya Mabhunu, Cde Fungai Mabhunu and Cde Calisto Chimurenga, among other ZANLA cadres.
This was a surprise attack, we were caught unawares.
After the spotter jet we thought we had a bit of time.
But a sell-out had betrayed us and I believe the freedom fighters had learnt about this betrayal as they intended to change base that very morning.
ZANLA cadres moved in the night but this day they wanted to change the base in the morning.
This was a clear sign of impending danger.
It was war, hence we could be attacked anytime as much as our liberators would attack the enemy anytime.
As collaborators we were taught many skills of escaping the enemy in an attack and how to talk with Rhodesian forces if intercepted while on a mission.
Cde Miniskirt told us to run towards the east while they held the enemy.
I swiftly ran towards the east into Mada River where I hid in the reeds.
I instinctively removed my jersey which had a bright colour, another skill we were taught by the freedom fighters; bright colours were easily noticed by the enemy.
This saved me because there was no cover since it was in summer, the trees were bare I would have stood out like a sore thumb.
By the time I got to the river, I was exhausted and thirsty but I could not even think of drinking any water despite hiding right in the river.
All I wanted was to be safe and I kept still.
It was my first time to be involved in an attack and I was scared. I shivered and the reeds could not match my shaking.
The freedom fighters brought down two helicopters.
I was delighted when I saw a huge flame in the sky.
The gunfire ceased around six o’clock and l came out of the reeds and walked home.
We learnt that Cde Miniskirt Chando, another comrade whose name l have forgotten and two mujibhas were killed in the battle.
More than 20 Rhodesian soldiers were killed and their corpses were ferried in Bedford military trucks the following morning.
Compiled by Emergencey Mwale-Kamtande

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