South African based Zimbabwean activist Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena was this weekend awarded the Joshua Nkomo leadership award presented by a South African based Zimbabwean cultural organization Matabeleland Arts Association and the Joshua Nkomo Foundation.
Mabhena a member of the Welshman Ncube led MDC’s National Executive Committee and Chairperson of the Zimbabweans Living in South Africa Community was given the award for his role in ensuring that the South African government extended work permits for Zimbabweans in South Africa.

Zimbabweans living in South Africa were given special dispensation permits by the South African government in 2010 which expired in 2014. After the expiry of the permits in 2014, the South African government was no longer kin to retain Zimbabweans in South African employment. Mabhena leading a host of Zimbabwean activists and groups engaged the South African government head on and managed to get the permits extended by another three years to 2017.
Speaking at the awards event which was held in Hillbrow Johannesburg to commemorate the Joshua Nkomo day, Mabhena thanked the organisers of the event for recognising his efforts and also thanked Zimbabweans living in South Africa for working well with their varied organisations and remaining united in the process of sorting out the permits issue. He told the huge crowd which filled the venue that they are still involved in negotiations with the South African government with a view of a further extension on the permits after 2017.
Prominent South African based Zimbabwean actor Ernest Ndlovu was also recognised for his efforts and was awarded the Artist Special Award. Ndlovu who has featured in several South African television programs which include Isidingo could not contain his excitement thanking the organisers for being the first Zimbabwean group to give him an honour for his efforts. The veteran actor is a recipient of several arts award from outside Zimbabwe.
Thousands of Zimbabweans attended the event which saw over twenty Zimbabwean music and cultural groups entertain the gathering. Top of the toast was undoubtedly Mlambos Express Band who are slowly making their way to being the top Zimbabwean contemporary rhumba outfit. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the band manager Thabani Ndlovu thanked Zimbabweans in South Africa who came in their thousands to make the event a success. His band which was part of the organisers of the event, thanked fellow Matabeleland musicians for volunteering their time to come and show case their talents in honour of Joshua Nkomo the founding Father of Zimbabwe’s liberation. Ndlovu promised for a much bigger event come next year.