excerpts from the ZANU PF Special Committee Publication of 1979 reveal:
"No body can doubt that we are forming history and history takes a long time to shape. Once it is shaped it often holds. Our investigation shows that most of the Ndebele people are blindly following Nkomo despite the fact that ZAPU is losing ground. It is clear too that there is no sphere of our life where the Ndebele people are or can be prominent, and thus a threat. Politically, they are unsophisticated. Educationally they are far below the mark, even if we compare them with the Shona groups - separately - Zezuru, Karanga, etc.
"One clear evidence against them losing ground all round, is the way a lot of them are changing from Ndebele to Shona. Almost all Ndebeles speak shona now. They have nothing in the Ndebele language and culture to cling to.
"Educationally our evidence shows that most Zimbabweans overseas are Shona; and they are determined to study and climb in various fields....We are pleased to note that our Committee is doing all possible to ensure the education of the Shona people. All schools have a Shona majority including the ones in Bulawayo itself. In the longer run the educated live to benefit.
"...As said above, the rich Shona language is now spoken by 85% of the population. There is no corner of the country where a Shona person feels lost. This leaves no doubt that Shona will easily be the future National Language... There is this evidence both at home and overseas, that Ndebele as a culture and language is dying a slow but sure death. In the United Kingdom most political meetings are held in Shona. Our young people are committed...We want to express our thanks to all who have supported this project over the years and are committed to the Shona Cause. Our strategies are working fine and various points of growth are taking shape.
"There is need to form smaller cells to deal with specifics. The ones that are catered for now are - education - at home and abroad, the military, inside and outside, key jobs at home, political strategies; housing and economic control (very vital, our business men have mushroomed on all corners of the country. The richest African in Bulawayo is Shona). We however, need a few more co-ordinators. The work is expanding. Pamberi! Continue to be discreet and pass on the flame. The Shona live
5to reign! Break not the Chain"