The Sunday Mail
WE continue our discussion with CDE JOSIAH RADOKA (JR), whose nom de guerre was Joe Tawengwa. This week, he narrates to our Features and Arts Editor PRINCE MUSHAWEVATO (PM) some of the hiccups he and others faced on their journey to Mozambique.
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PM: As you travelled to Mozambique, did you not bump into enemy soldiers along the way?
JR: When we left Mutoko, we often travelled through bushy areas that had thick cover. This made it difficult for the enemy to spot us. However, as we got closer to Mozambique, we arrived at a place called Shinga. Unbeknown to us, there was another group of freedom fighters that was already in the area. We could not immediately identify each other, which automatically led to a brief misunderstanding between our groups.
This resulted in some senior fighters from our group taking cover in preparation for combat. I was terrified since this was an unfamiliar situation to me and many other new recruits.
Cde Radoka
I did not know how to react, but my sixth sense instructed me to run for dear life. Sensing danger, our leaders ordered some of the senior fighters to swiftly lead us to safety. They knew we were still raw and not ready for battle since we were yet to receive proper military training.
PM: What happened next?
JR: Cde Gwatakwata, myself and other recruits took to our heels. We fled the scene. The situation was so nasty that we could not regroup that day. In fact, it became difficult for us to immediately regroup because Shinga was a dense forest that led to Mozambique. It was a chilling jungle. However, the following day, as we wandered about the forest, trying to reconnect with the Mozambique route, we again bumped into each other.
A moment of silence ensued after everyone stopped. The silence resembled a graveyard. After a short while, a comrade from the other camp shouted, asking us to identify ourselves. That is when Cde Gwatakwata identified himself before promptly requesting identification from the other team. It is then that we learnt it was Cde Kezias’ group that we had bumped into. Slogans were immediately chanted and we merged, and proceeded with our trip.
Such encounters were common during the struggle, but we always made use of signals/codes to avoid fighting each other. After a while, we got to the Mozambican border and crossed. I quickly got into the groove/mood to fight.
PM: Tell us what happened immediately after you got to Mozambique?
JR: After crossing, we got to a camp that was close to the border. We were instructed to cook sadza. However, there was not enough mealie meal to cater for everyone. As a result, we ended up preparing watery sadza, instead of thick sadza.
The objective was for everyone to have something to eat since we had gone for days without a decent meal. Food was scarce at the camp due to the numbers that kept swelling with each passing moment. As we were about to eat, after cooking, we were attacked by the Rhodesian forces.
Cde Dehweraoma Mabhunu, who was from Mount Darwin, was the first to signal that we were under attack. Again, all new recruits were ordered to move to safety. We complied and bolted towards Changara. The senior freedom fighters gave us directions and they stayed behind to defend the territory from the enemy. To be honest, I do not know what happened after we fled. All I know is that there was a fierce battle and lives were lost.
PM: Did you manage to safely get to Changara considering the enemy soldiers could have set ambush at all exit points?
JR: We safely got to Changara. It appeared the assault was mainly focused on the camp. Changara was quite a distance away and we got there tired. Before we could rest, a huge lorry was sent to ferry us early in the morning, I think around 7am.
We were transferred to a station of new recruits in Tete and got there around 6pm. Upon arrival, we were offered some food. Just as was the case at the previous camp, it (food) was not enough, especially considering we had spent the whole day without eating.
After the meal, we were back on the road and travelled all night, this time around, in a truck. The long and tiresome journey led us to Tembwe Base One (Mozambique). We were immediately handed over to the camp’s security team for vetting. They asked us a lot of questions like Who are you? Where do you come from? What is your objective in joining the liberation struggle? What were you doing before coming here?
We went through all formalities and started training in 1977. The training process started with politics before we moved to rifle training, the bayonet rifle, the one with a knife. After that, you were familiarised with the sub, anti-air, bazooka and recoilless rifle, among others. I successfully completed training and went to Base Two, where I waited to be deployed back home.
It took long for us to join others on the front. As we waited to go home, little did we know that the Rhodesian soldiers were planning to attack our camps in Mozambique.
PM: You can carry on.
JR: One day, we woke up as usual and went for a parade. After our routine drills and roll call, I left the gathering. I walked about 50 metres — going towards a toilet that I was helping construct in the camp — and got near the fields and a stream that was close by.
At that moment, enemy soldiers began attacking our camp. They came with well-defined targets. It was not a random attack. Their main target was the parade, the kitchen area and finally the ladies’ and men’s barracks. They used air strikes for the onslaught — spotter planes, helicopters and jet fighters.
The first batch of aircraft came at low altitude. We only managed to detect them when the assault had started. I was one of the first people to signal that we were under attack. Within a short space of time, the sky was literally covered with all sorts of enemy fighter aircraft. They covered all corners, making it difficult to escape.
For a moment, I thought that was it. Death was upon us. Chances of making it alive seemed next to none. Without thinking much, I ran towards the northern side, where I intended to take cover. I bolted at a pace that would turn any world record holder green with envy. I wanted to get off the open ground, which was making it easy for the enemy to target us.
Next week, Cde Radoka will continue recounting how they fought the enemy in Mozambique. He will also recount some of the memorable battles back home.
