Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda

Who is Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda?

Felix Mafa is a Zimbabwean activist, politician and member of parliament for Magwegwe in Bulawayo for the MDC-T party, as well as being provincial spokesperson for that party.

In 1980 he was the Zimbabwe African People's Union candidate for Mashonaland Central constituency in Harare.

In 1985, he stood for ZAPU as a Glen View Candidate. This was done at the request of Joshua Nkomo himself. In 1999, his Glen View house set on fire by the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front thugs and he was chased away from Harare and sent packing to Bulawayo or risk execution. In 1987. his eldest son Canan Mafa, a former Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army freedom fighter was abducted by ZANU PF Fifth Brigrade and drowned in the Zambezi river. He became the most outspoken person against Gukurahundi and eventually founded Post Independence Survivors' Trust, a pressure group to find justice against Gukurahundi pepetrators and healing for the victims.

As a trade unionist in 1981, Felix Mafa was the first person recorded in Zimbabwe's history to be responsible for nation wide civil servants strike for better wages and work conditions, including fighting for pensions, and medical services. In subsequent year, Felix continued to press the government for better conditions in civil government. He was the president of the Zimbabwe Teachers Union for many years. The Minister of Labour said that the strike was illegal, and on 22 August, the general secretary, John Makoni, and deputy general secretary, Charles Chiiru, of the Public Service Association were arrested. They were released the next day.