MSHOLOZI – While the country celebrates the youth of 1976, the life of the late military veteran, Ms Florence Mandisa Dimba was celebrated during her funeral last Saturday.
It was attended by hundreds of mourners from all walks of life.
Members of Umkhonto WeSizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA) stated how surprised they were when the then young and petite Dimba joined the army at the age of 14,while other children went to school.
“She was the youngest member and efforts of turning her back were fruitless. She was so determined to carry an AK-47 and fight for the freedom of the country with many militants who went to exile.
She played her role and ran her race to the end,” explained a
representative of MKMVA. Dimba was born on October 6, 1974 at
eNkomeni Trust in KaBokweni and died at One Military Hospital on June 6.
She joined the ANC at a very young age and went into exile through Mozambique in 1989, then to Tanzania in 1990 where she became a student at Solomon Mahlangu’s Freedom College.
She joined Umkhonto WeSizwe in 1991 and stayed in Yusuf Daddo Camp in Mgagoa where she completed her military training. She served on the Returned Exiles’ Association and as a provincial deputy secretary of the MKMVA from 2002 to 2008.
Ms Thembi Khoza also an MKMVA member, explained how Dimba fought for the rights of women and children and how she fought Khoza’s battles after death of her husband, who was a soldier.
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