Former MP Esaph Mdlongwa buried

The late Esaph Mdlongwa, father to South Africa-based legendary music producer Oscar “Oskido” Mdlongwa who died last Wednesday evening at Mater Dei Hospital due to Covid-19 related complications was yesterday laid to rest at Luveve Cemetery in Bulawayo.

He was 78. The burial, which was restricted to close family members, was also attended by two splinter MDC parties presidents Dr Thokozani Khupe and Mr Nelson Chamisa. Mdlongwa, who was the founding organising secretary of the MDC, was buried in accordance with the WHO guidelines on Covid-19.

Mdlongwa was elected as part of the first leadership of the opposition party in 1999- before its initial split in 2005- together with the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai (president), the late Mr Gibson Sibanda (vice president), Professor Welshman Ncube (secretary general), Mr Gift Chimanikire (deputy secretary general), the late Mr Isaac Matongo (chairman), the late Mr Fletcher Dulini Ncube (treasurer general), Mrs Lucia Matibenga (women’s assembly), the late Learnmore Jongwe (spokesman) and Mr Nelson Chamisa (youth assembly). He is a former MP for Luveve.

Meanwhile, according to information from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 24 new Covid-19 positive cases were reported in the country on Friday, taking the tally to 8099 cases, with 7673 recoveries and 231 deaths. The national recovery rate stood at 95 percent.

Bulawayo had as at Friday 92 active cases, Harare 22, Manicaland 19, Mashonaland Central 2, Mashonaland East 12, Mashonaland West 21, Midlands 20, Masvingo 3, Matabeleland North 2, Matabeleland South 2. The Sunday News