Own Correspondent|President Mnangagwa has sent his condolences to the Sikhosana family following the death of Zanu PF Politburo member Absalom Sikhosana on Saturday from a heart ailment he had battled for some time.

Sikhosana (70) died at United Bulawayo Hospitals and has since been declared a national hero.

President Mnangagwa said the late hero was a nationalist and trained veteran of the liberation struggle who began his struggle against colonialism as a youth activist in the 1970s.

A radical trade unionist, he later joined the liberation war at Camp of General Training in Zambia in 1977, said President Mnangagwa.

“Always dedicated to the freedom and service of his people, Cde Sikhosana distinguished himself as a long-time leader of our Youth League, in the process moulding several youths many of whom matured politically, becoming dependable leaders in different echelons of our party Zanu PF and in different sectors of our society.

“Genial but firm, respectful and soft-spoken but unwavering, the late Cde Sikhosana was always faithful to the party line and would be relied upon to undertake onerous chores for the party in different provinces of our country. In all this throughout his political career, the late hero exemplified unity and cohesion in the party, a demeanour which made him approachable and acceptable across all organs of our party. We will miss him sorely,”said the President.

“On behalf of the party, Zanu-PF, the Politburo, my family and my own behalf, I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the Sikhosana family, especially to Mrs Sikhosana and the children. As they grieve over this saddest loss, may they find comfort and be consoled by Cde Sikhosana’s outstanding role in the struggle for our independence and in his distinguished leadership, both in the Youth League and lately of the whole Bulawayo Province of which he was its interim chairman.

“Our party’s decision to confer national hero status on Cde Sikhosana is the least we could do by way of honouring this stalwart of the struggle and the ever hardworking cadre of our party.”

Family members have however blasted Mnangagwa and ZANU PF for neglecting Sikhosana to the level of him dying as a pauper.

“Sikhosana was admitted on Monday and he spent three days without treatment because the hospital had no drugs. He could not manage to buy the prescribed medication because he did not have money or medical aid,” the family source said.

The female family member said Sikhosana claimed to have been dumped by his erstwhile colleagues in Zanu PF.

“He was admitted in Forrester ward, a common ward for all-male patients. He was only helped by a Bulawayo party leader and businessman who requested his transfer to a private ward. Even his medication came two days before his death after intervention from elsewhere. He died drained and a pauper,” she said.

The source said the late politburo member’s remains were only collected from the mortuary by a private funeral company after government declared him a national hero.

“It was so disheartening for such a big name to die in that way after all he did for the country and party,” the source said.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs Jelina Dube-Sikhosana, five children and six grandchildren.