8 December 2019
Sixolise Gcilishe
I write this with great sadness over the unimaginable loss of a close friend of the EFF, a pastor and motivator, Pastor Neyi Zimu.
When we heard the news of his admission to hospital a few weeks ago, we fervently and earnestly prayed to God for his healing, believing that the God he believed in and passionately sang about would stretch his hand and heal him, and have him bounce back to continue his role as our comforter and minister.
The death of Pastor Zimu has hit me as hard as it has many. I tried to take a moment because Pastor Zimu, who had preached God’s love and even prepared the spirittunez platform, which captivated followers of his regular devotionals, is now dead in the prime of his life.
I had the pleasure of meeting the pastor through our organisation, the EFF. He showed his abiding and constant support to our movement, attending our rallies and other occasions, and set the stage alight with praise and worship.
Pastor Zimu was a true follower of Christ, who, like the disciples of old, was never intimidated, but stood up for the truth and his people.
When a lot of people of his calibre were concerned about record sales and their reputation, as a result distancing themselves from our organisation and the call of economic freedom in our lifetime, Pastor Zimu confidently joined the mission of emancipating his people from economic bondage, leading us and encouraging us to trust Jehovah with the process.
Whenever he graced our stage the earth was always shaking. We were encouraged as he would sometimes even tweak and twist lyrics of his own gospel songs to fit his political agenda, calling for the end of corruption and the return of the land.
Pastor Zimu was a true fighter. We witnessed as he fought the good fight of faith and ran the race of faith, standing firmly in the word and taking up the cross daily.
We have watched him press on towards the goal, the prize for which God called him. His death has left us wounded, but it is well.
We hope the Lord will hasten the day when faith shall be sight. The day where all the clouds will be rolled back as the scroll. That day the trumpet shall sound and the Lord will descend.
We find comfort in knowing we will be reunited. May your soul rest in revolutionary peace. • Gcilishe is communication manager of the EFF.
