Simon Mazorodze

Personal Details

Mazorodze was born in Mondoro on 29 November 1933.
He married Alice Jean Madinga and they had three children. ^[1]

School / Education

He studied at Goromonzi High School ^[3]. Upon completion of his studies there he later went to South Africa where he attended University Of Natal's medical school and later graduated as a medical doctor. The years spent in South Africa saw the young Mazorodze become politically conscious and this may have contributed to his coming back and working for the Rhodesian government so as to be able to contribute to the struggle from within.

Service / Career

Upon returning to Rhodesia,he worked in Masvingo and Harare Hospitals. He is credited as one of the founding fathers of Zanu PF but, as a civil servant, had to be content with underground activities such as contributing money to the party, assisting refugees who were fleeing Zimbabwe, and treating freedom fighters that had been wounded. During the war, Cde Mazorodze was actively involved in politics and gave financial and medical assistance to the ZANLA forces. He worked tirelessly in Shurugwi, Zaka, Mweneziand Masvingo, carrying out operations on injured combatants in the bush and supplying drugs. He also approached various businessmen in Masvingo, Zvishavane, Gweru, Shurugwi and Mashava for financial aid and organized the collection of the money, and personally seeing to its delivery to the ZANLA forces. His "clandestine" activities led him into trouble with the police and he was arrested from time to time but this did not deter him from continuing to give his support to the liberation struggle. He helped in organizing the 1980 elections and was himself elected to the House of Assembly for Zanu PF Masvingo Province where he had worked longest. ^[4]. He became the Deputy Minister of Health and later Minister of Health. In both capacities, he helped restructure and re-organized the health services^[5]

References