Yet another agonising wait for Soul Sadza family

02 Apr, 2017 - 00:04 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Munyaradzi Huni —
IT looks like its yet another agonising wait for the Magaya family. But the search for Cde Soul Sadza continues.

This follows the release of DNA results last week, showing that there was no profile obtained from the bone and tooth samples that a local DNA testing centre sampled.

In simple language this means the DNA testing centre failed to find any profile in the bone and tooth samples to match the DNA of Dr Dennis Magaya and Mr Joshua Magaya. The DNA test failed to establish whether the remains belonged to Cde Soul Sadza due to the adverse weather conditions that the remains were exposed to over the years.

The Magaya family had in September last year taken some remains from Zimunya Village that they thought belonged to Cde Arthur Magaya whose Chimurenga name was Cde Soul Sadza. Part of the DNA results read: “No profile was obtained from the bone and tooth sample received. Extraction was conducted using the bone, tooth and adhesive kit. An overnight digestion was also attempted.

“There was no quantifiable sample in both the bone and tooth samples and no profiles were obtained. Further methods beyond the scope of this laboratory may need to be utilised to get a profile. Recommendation would be a laboratory utilising Next Generation Sequencing and specialised kits for degraded bone and tooth samples.”

Following the release of the results, a distraught and devastated, Dr Magaya said: “Unfortunately there was no DNA in the bone and tooth based on the laboratory in Zimbabwe. As a family, we therefore feel that our relative’s soul is either still troubled somewhere or it could be right next to us if the remains we have at a local mortuary belong to Cde Soul Sadza.

“We feel that we are at a point where we can make some interim closure while we seek the ideal conclusion. We will therefore continue more vigorously the testing using advanced laboratories in South Africa and Europe. If the results are negative, we will continue the search. The good thing is that we now know where Cde Soul Sadza passed on. We will collect some soil from the last point where he was seen and use the soil as a basis for reburial and traditional processes. In future if we find the actual remains, we will happily redo the processes. At least for now we have a reference point where we can continue from and we will take family and friends for a for memorial service.”

Some war veterans are saying the Magaya family is wasting time taking the remains they had for DNA tests because they are convinced that the remains belong to Cde Soul Sadza. Others are saying only the DNA tests can confirm who the remains belong to.

What do you think the Magaya family should do from here? Send me your views on [email protected]

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