In January 1983, Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF quashed what it called dissidence by supporters of its political rival, the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU).
In an operation known by a Shona term Gukurahundi (the spring rain that washes away the chaff), the Zimbabwean military, in particular the Fifth Brigade, murdered up to 20,000 civilians in Matabeleland and Midlands.
Actors play two red beret soldiers celebrating the burning of a young child they snatched from her mother on May 30, 2018, in Harare, in a scene from a play “1983 the Dark Years”, which portrays the life of a young girl affected by the Gukurahundi events in the 1980s. PHOTO JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP
The Catholic Commission on Justice and Peace reported widespread atrocities including as torture and extrajudicial executions.
The Habakkuk Trust has commissioned a series of videos to highlight the disproportionate impact of Gukurahundi on women in Matabeleland and Midlands.
This is the third in a series of three videos and focuses on the exhumations of the bodies of the victims.
Below is a fuller documentary on Gukurahundi.
Lloyd Coutts has an extensive background in journalism and media spanning 40 years. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies (Hons) from the University of the Witwatersrand and has worked as a reporter, sub-editor, news editor, assistant editor and acting editor for publications such as Business Day, The Star, Business Report and Sunday World. Lloyd also has experience in wire services, notably the German Press Agency (dpa), and radio (Network Radio News and Classic FM). He also worked in television news at eNCA.
