By A Correspondent-Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) producer and presenter Stanley Goredema has died.
He was 73.
Goredema passed away on Tuesday at Kutama Mission Hospital in Zvimba after a long illness.
Goredema was one of the founding presenters of the then Radio 3—now Power FM—in the early 1980s.
He also served as a news producer, working alongside legendary broadcasters such as the late Josh Makawa, James Gora, Mike Mundwa, John Matimbe, Kudzi Marudza, and the then ZBC director Webster Shamu.
Reflecting on his contribution to the media, veteran broadcaster Mr. James Gora described Goredema as a humble and dedicated professional.
“He was one of the founding producer-presenters of the then Radio 3. Soon after Independence, the bosses, including Webster Shamu, saw the need for a youth-focused radio station—and that’s how Radio 3 came into being. Stanley was down-to-earth and always brightened up the newsroom,” Gora said.
At his Musengezi homestead in Zvimba, where mourners have gathered, family and friends also paid tribute to Goredema’s service to the nation, describing him as a hardworking, community-driven individual.
“My husband was a good man. He was kind and committed to his work. He had great respect for his job and would sometimes leave the house as early as 1 a.m. to attend to his exhumation duties,” said his wife, Josline Mubaiwa.
His uncle, Mr. Harry Goredema, said: “My nephew was involved in the burial of all national heroes from as far back as the 1980s until his retirement in 2018. He never stopped serving the nation—he continued his work with the exhumation of freedom fighters under the Fallen Heroes Trust.”
Long-time neighbour Mr. Washington Kariwo described Goredema as a pillar of his community: “We have lost a good neighbour who always pushed for community development. We remember his role at ZBC and the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ). He was indeed a loving person and a family champion.”
Mr. McDonald Mutatabikwa added: “He contributed a lot to the Methodist Church, where he worshipped. One thing he loved the most was his job—and he died with a legacy of having buried some of the country’s most prominent national heroes at the National Heroes Acre.”
After leaving ZBC, Goredema joined the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, where he served for 35 years as a Principal Public Relations Officer. His responsibilities included guiding families of deceased national heroes through government burial protocols and coordinating the exhumation and reburial of liberation war fighters.
Goredema is survived by his wife, Josline, and five children.