BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO
THOMAS Mapfumo’s former Blacks Unlimited band member and Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) music lecturer Fanuel “Cox” Dzinduwa has died.
Blacks Unlimited manager Edwin Nyoka confirmed Dzinduwa’s death yesterday.
“We lost our former Blacks Unlimited band member, brother Fanuel Dzinduwa, rest in peace. You have gone with your talent. You handled the brass section,” Nyoka said.
Cox, who was also a former Zimbabwe Republic Police band member died on Wednesday.
He was also a former lecturer at Gweru Music Academy and music teacher at Mutendi High School in Masvingo.
Fellow GZU music lecturer Shadreck Dzingai said Dzinduwa was a perfectionist but sociable person.
“We used to laugh at him saying he didn’t want to grow old. He mixed and mingled with all ages. He was a man of the people. He dressed smartly, kept his office and house smart. We have lost a legend, friend and mentor,” he said.
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“He taught a lot of students not only music, but life skills as well. They can testify. The department of performing and visual arts will surely miss him.
“I did not know that apart from music, he was also good at acting till he featured in a university film that is yet to be released.
“The film has some grey areas we are polishing before its release. It will be an honour to him. He played the role of a good father.”
Marondera-based artiste Kudzaishe “Masta” Mutigwa said Cox was a man of the people.
“He was a very humorous person, a mentor and a father to us. He did not have spare time for himself as he would always be around to teach, train and lecture us. He was very passionate about music and he wanted us to be great musicians,” he said.
“That is why he would hold night jam sessions to make sure we grasp musical concepts he knew. We have lost a great man.”
Takudzwanashe Muza described Cox as a jovial music mentor.
“I met Cox during the first week of my university in 2016 after someone told us that there was a music centre. Cox told us about his early playing days in clubs and eventually he motivated us to start the GZU gospel choir,” he said.
“He helped us to hold our first auditions and that was the birth of my passion for music. He was a happy man. I don’t think I ever saw him angry. If you wanted to make him happy, you would ask him about his good old days or ask him to play the saxophone, he would sit down and tell you interesting stories.”
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