Sindiso Mazibisa

Early life

Sindiso Shepherd Mazibisa (a lawyer by profession), and a Christian (End Time Message believer), was born on 16 April 1977 at Solusi Mission Hospital, in the then Bulilima Mangwe District of Matabeleland in Southern Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe).

He attended Mnondu Primary School in Nyamandlovu, and did his Secondary Education (Form 1 to 4) at Inyanda Secondary School in Gwabalanda Suburb, Bulawayo. Thereafter he did his ‘A’ levels at the famous and great Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo and thereafter did his Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) at the University of Zimbabwe between 1996 and year 2000.

Student Activism

At the University of Zimbabwe, Mazibisa was once president of the Matabeleland Development (Society (MDS) and the Secretary for Information and Publicity between 1998 and 1999, in the University’s Students Executive Council (S.E.C.). He was part of the S.E.C. that waged successful demonstration against the issue of privatization of the catering services, and the unpopular 505 fees policy where the Government abdicated its duty to fair education and call upon the students and their parents to fund their education. The University had to be closed for close to 6 months and he was suspended from his studies owing to his student activism.

Main Article: Zimbabwean riot police tear-gas students

Riot police used batons and tear gas to disperse scores of students protesting against delays in the disbursement of their allocations at the University of Zimbabwe on 19 October 1999. Large boulders and concrete slabs were used to set up barricades on campus roads, and lawns were set on fire across the grounds.

Sindiso Mazibisa, spokesperson for the Students' Executive Council, explained that the students had not received their funds since the start of the semester in September. "For five weeks students have not had money for food, for transport and books ... [They] cannot survive."

The demonstrations led to clashes between the students and riot police, who had sealed off the campus to prevent the students from moving into the city. Three arrested students were allegedly tortured.

31 July 2013 Election

Running up to the 2013 July 31 elections, Mazibisa led one of the most flamboyant campaigns in Zimbabwe as he was campaigning to be the Member of Parliament for Magwegwe Constituency under the Welshman Ncube led Movement for Democratic Change. Mazibisa lost the election to Anele Ndebele of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai, he did not contest the outcome of the election but many have refused to believe that he lost. It is suspected that because of his outspoken nature and radical stances both Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF and Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC united to rig the election against him, so as to silence him. Some political analysts allege that had he won the election he was going to becoming too powerful to the extent that he was going to overshadow longstanding political players from the Matabeleland region and this was going to cause serious challenges in the body politic of Zimbabwe. Many have been saying if Professor Welshman Ncube another lawyer from Matabeleland does not become the first Ndebele President of an independent Zimbabwe, chance are high that Mazibisa will be the first.

Attorney

Upon completion of his law degree, Mazibisa joined Cheda and Partners in June 2001 as a Professional Assistant, and later becoming a Staffing Partner owning a significant share in the firm in September 2001. Mazibisa set a record in the legal fraternity of Zimbabwe after becoming the youngest partner in a law firm in the history of Zimbabwe; he was a junior partner to Justice Maphios Cheda the founding partner of Cheda and Partner, who is currently the Senior Bulawayo High Court Judge. Sindiso Shephard Mazibisa is currently the Senior Partner at Cheda and Partners, which now has four branches in Bulawayo, Gwanda, Victoria Falls and Hwange.

Mazibisa is the legal advisor of Dr Obert Mpofu the Minister of Mines and Mining Development in the Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2012-03-01-mugabe-parentage-stings-mpofu

His most notable cases amongst others include:

Amavulindlela Group of Companies

Mazibisa is the President and Chairman of Amavulindlela Group of Companies the biggest holding company in Matabeleland. Amongst its companies is Amavulindlela Ultimate Records the proud producer of the 3 kings music band, Chayah Media Services the publisher of the Southern Star newspaper and Gospel Times magazine, Amavulindlela Digital Services, Ebenezar Farms one of the suppliers of raw products in the meat and vegetable market of Bulawayo, Abantu Ventures a social responsibility center that seeks to address past injustice through helping previously disadvantaged individuals by providing business start up capital, and Dancing Flame a local transport services provider.

Amavulindlela has three Vice Presidents namely;

Interests

Mazibisa has a strong interest in human rights (and has dealt with public interest litigation relating to police brutality and impunity, administrative injustice; political victimization, election petitions, legal education programmes)

Mazibisa also has a keen interest in commercial law and conveyancing and has to that end helped put together mining and construction or real estate deals and this he has done through Cheda and Partners, “The Law Firm”. He has also ventured into mining and his interest and experience in coal mining; Gold Mining and Diamond Cutting and Polishing. He can help structure or broker deals in these areas.

Further, he has a keen interest in farming having ventured into market gardening in vegetables and livestock farming dealing in goats and cattle in the Mazibisa Estate and Ebenezer Farm (Umguza District). He is keen to collaborate in these areas, including large sale production of poultry and poultry products.

Mazibisa is a Youth Development Advocate and is one of the founder members, former Director and now Trustee of the National Youth Development Trust and you can “google” its activities or visit their blog spots to see what work they have done or they are doing in the community. Sindiso is a serious advocate for Youth Leadership Training and Development and thinks that the life blood of any community has with an able, empowered youth.

Boards

Mazibisa is a very active member on a number of boards:

Current:

Past:

Mazibisa is the youngest person in Zimbabwe ever to sit in a board listed in the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. He was only 24 years old when he became a board of ZimPapers.

Political Governance and Ideology

Mazibisa is a Social Democrat and has a distaste for imperialist or dictatorship tendencies from white, black, yellow, green or whatever man and he is a fighter for the people, and his freedoms.

Without apology Mazibisa believes that to protect so called “minorities”, and develop communities, encouraging local participation, and dismantling authoritarian and dictatorship by the so-called majority, Zimbabwe must be (not devolution of power) but a federal country giving more voices to locals on language, allocation of resources and protecting their interests. He hates the centralized and oppressive central governance system. Federalism is a right, and it will help in Zimbabwe, and worldwide, particularly in Africa to debunk colonial boundaries and bring more unity amongst the people. The right to self-determination is key to world peace and development. It is central that all men are born equal, and the quest to run other people’s lives based on tribe, race and gender is inimical to current and future thinking.

Oppression and Repression have no place in modern-day societies. The war of liberation was fought to bring change and freedom, and Mazibisa praises the gallant sons and daughters of Zimbabwe and says: Let Freedom For All be real. No imperialism, or oppression anymore by whites or by blacks.

Mazibisa is inspired by the struggles by the people worldwide who have said and are saying; “we are interested in bread and butter, jobs, food; development and also we demand our freedoms”.

Ronald Reagan the former American President once said the Government must stop running peoples lives, but give the people a frame work to co-operate. Professor Welshman Ncube, Mazibisa’s former lecturer at the University opinioned that the origins of the organised and state were premised on coming together for the common good. The fundamentals of state formation have been rigged worldwide and hijacked by oppressive political parties (whether ruling or not ruling); governments; strongman and imperialists. New political parties and movements have been nothing but a disaster. A sad re-incarnation of the forces they want to dislodge.

Mazibisa believes in the people’s freedom; free from all oppression and repression. Mazibisa believes another Zimbabwe, free from tribal and racial bigotry is possible where people of all races and tribes can co-exist for the common good and advancement.

Leadership Training

Mazibisa was trained in Board Effectiveness and Good Corporate Governance. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Inter Action Leadership Programme (class of 2007) which involved 19 African countries and the United Kingdom, he was sponsored by the British Council and he is currently doing the Success Motivational International “Dynamics of Successful Management course” facilitated by Nigel Chanakira, the Founder of the Kingdom Bank, Bulawayo.

Mazibisa Quotes

We are not merely doing for philanthropic satisfaction We are not doing it to access donor funding We are not doing it to feel good We are not doing it to leave legacies We are not doing it to be written in newspapers We are not doing it to be known internationally We are not doing it to be rich We are not doing it for pleasure

This is a vocation to make a difference and we will do it. Money or no money we will do it. As long as you continue to support us we will do it.

(At the Inaugural NYDT Young People's Convention)