Crispan Masuku
| Brigadier General Crispan Masuku | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Crispan Masuku July 16, 1958 Lupane, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe |
| Died | May 13, 2020 (aged 61) United Bulawayo Hospitals |
| Resting place | Lady Stanley Cemetery, Bulawayo |
| Other names | Kid Manzini |
| Education | Mzola Five and Tshongogwe Primary Schools, Lupane |
| Alma mater | Ihlathi Secondary School, Bulawayo |
| Occupation | Military |
| Employer | Government of Zimbabwe |
| Organization | Zimbabwe National Army |
| Spouse(s) | Nomathemba Ndiweni |
| Children | Ngqabutho, Nqobile and Nomagugu Adelide. |
Crispan 'Kid Manzini' Masuku was a Zimbabwean liberation war hero. He was the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) general manager at the time of his death. He was declared a national hero.[1]
Background
Crispan Masuku was born on 16 July 1958 in Lupane, Matabeleland North and was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) on 1 January 1981. He was married to Dr Nomathemba Ndiweni and the couple had three children Ngqabutho, Nqobile and Nomagugu Adelide.
Education
Brig-Gen Masuku did his primary education at Mzola Five and Tshongogwe primary schools in Lupane before proceeding to Ihlathi Secondary School in Bulawayo.
Career
At a tender age of nineteen years, the late General officer together with other cadres joined the liberation struggle through Botswana before they were sent to Zambia in 1977. The late General officer was motivated by the oppressive regime that was in place which was characterised by discrimination and harassment of black people. The late General officer managed to brave the Rhodesian security forces that were deployed to monitor the border and managed to cross to Botswana heading for Zambia to join the liberation struggle.
During his stay in Zambia he also resisted various diseases and chemical warfare that was used by the enemy in an effort to annihilate the combatants that were fighting the regime. The late General officer was one of the survivors of that warfare.
Whilst at Freedom Camp he and other cadres were subjected to gruesome Rhodesian air bombardment in August 1979 in which several of Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) freedom fighters perished as the Rhodesians tried to derail the liberation struggle. After the bombardment the group was moved to Mulungushi Camp where they were again bombed two days after arrival. Thereafter, the group was moved back to Freedom Camp in October 1979 before proceeding for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
After ceasefire he joined the ZNA on January 1, 1981, as a lieutenant. He was appointed Officer Commanding 18 Infantry Battalion on June 24, 1981, before being appointed to Battery Commander 1 Air Defence Regiment on March 8, 1982.
He was posted to 402 Infantry Battalion as Officer Commanding on August 30, 1982 before being reassigned to Battalion Battle School, now All Arms Battle School, where he served as training officer from October 2, 1984, to August 1, 1987.
He served at Headquarters 2 Infantry Brigade as Quartermaster Staff Officer (Grade Two) between 1987 and 1991, before being reassigned to Ordinance Directorate as Ordinance Staff Officer (Grade Two) (Manning and Training) where he served until 1994.
In May 1994, he was appointed Ordinance Staff Officer (Grade Two) (Material) while still at Ordinance Directorate. In 1995, the late General was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
On November 29, 2001, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and assigned to Army Headquarters Quartermaster Staff Branch as a Staff Officer (Grade One) (Equipment Management). In 2003, while still at Army Headquarters, Brig-Gen Masuku was appointed Colonel Quartermaster Staff leading to his reassignment to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters as Director Logistics where he served until 2013 when he was redeployed to South Africa as a Defence Attaché.
He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General in 2012. When he returned from South Africa in October 2013, he was appointed Brigadier-General Quartermaster Staff at Army Headquarters Quartermaster Staff Branch until November 2015.
Brig-Gen Masuku was then deployed to the ZDI as the general manager, a position he held until his death.
Death
Brigadier-General Masuku died on 13 May 2020 at 0200hrs at the United Bulawayo Hospital in Bulawayo.
Picture Gallery
