By Rex Mphisa
At exactly 1005 hours last Saturday six members of the Zimbabwe National Army broke the silence of Jaka Village, Malala as they performed a three-volley gun salute.
Immediately after, the bugler trumpeted his ‘Last Post’, a sound synonymous with the burial of a military man.
The Last Post is a traditional bugle call used at military funerals in Commonwealth nations to signify that a soldier’s duty is over and they may rest in peace.
It acts as a final farewell, often played before the committal, and is sometimes followed by a silence, and yes there was silence at Malala.
The gun salute, as usual, caught many by surprise, but was followed by a huge applause, ululations and salutes from this in uniform.
It appeared like a movie.
Yes, a show in its own right.
That aptly describes the funeral of the late Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Matebeleland South Deputy Commander Deputy Commissioner Rever Mbedzi.
Never before had Beitbridge witnessed a funeral parade.
Last Friday one held in the Prison grounds, Beitbridge preceeded his Saturday burial.
Never before had Beitbridge seen so many prison officers gathered at a single place in their green military fatigue and marching in respect for the departed colleague.
“I have never seen a funeral parade in Beitbridge before, it is of course a sombre moment but the parade is a spectacle,” said a Phineas Moyo of Dulivhadzimu.
At dawn a long queue vehicles snaked out of Beitbridge town due west to Mbedzi’s homestead.
A few times in the past, yes, Beitbridge has seen long queues of vehicles in a funeral procession but Mbedzi’s send off was marked by the Ford Ranger models dominance.
The cars for a day turned the dust stretch to his homestead off the Bulawayo road into a busy street under heavy engines.
They rumbled their way to Mbedzi’s final resting place where about 1 000 people came to bid him farewell.
In Beitbridge, the Venda Culture dictates that people are buried early in the morning.
Something changed slightly for Mbedzi’s interrement when culture met his Hero status procedure.
The Government takes over the procedure to fit a military burial and after the process is done, wreaths are laid and national flag handed to the surviving spouse, the chaplin hands over the process back to the family.
Soon after relatives had spoken and done their traditional part District Development Coordinator Sikangezile Mafu took over the show.
Mafu invited the “Chief Mourner” Matebeleland South Minister of State For Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe who said people must not be surprised that someone who was not a war veteran was declared a Liberation War Hero.
“He was not declared by anyone, he declared himself with his good work. He acquitted himself well. Our work follows us. It was easy to make his recommendation to the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa). He declared himself a hero,” said Nguluvhe.
He later followed and led officials in the laying of wreaths after Mbedzi was final lowered into his final resting place.
Just before midday, the Hero of Beitbridge, Mbedzi, most influential in the recruitment of many Beitbridge youths into ZPCS been laid down at his final resting place.
His projects at Beitbridge where he diversified correctional approach to empower inmates with self help projects talked about all day as he lay lifeless.
“Daddy I wish you were able to see the people that have gathered here to say goodbye. You will always be my hero,” one if his two daughters said in her graveside message.
And Mbedzi’s show ended