Hero's send-off for Bosso CEO

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Lady Stanley Cemetery to pay their last respects to Sihlangu Dlodlo, the late chief executive officer of the Highlanders Football Club. Dlodlo's lifeless body was discovered at his residence in Nketa 9, Bulawayo, on Monday evening, prompting an outpouring of grief from the community.

The funeral service drew prominent figures from the sports, business, and arts sectors, including Judith Ncube, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Paul Damasane. Their presence underscored Dlodlo's significant impact on the community and the world of football.

Minister Ncube expressed her sorrow over Dlodlo's untimely passing. "We were supposed to have a meeting on Monday, but, unfortunately, it's on the same day he passed on. Some of the topics we discussed included the club's financial struggles, particularly how it was losing revenue to match-day expenses and players to other teams. President Emmerson Mnangagwa also asked me to send his condolences to the Dlodlo family," she said.

Damasane also paid tribute, describing Dlodlo as a man with a heart larger than most and someone who left an indelible mark on the Dlodlo clan. "Swings have broken down while children were still playing. This is what has befallen us. But those who discovered his lifeless body found him not donning the Highlanders jersey because Highlanders supporters never die; only people die. The supporters live on forever. Sihlangu was a man who was bigger and greater in stature of heart than most of us in the Dlodlo clan," Damasane stated.

Highlanders board chairman, Luke Mnkandla, echoed the sentiments of his colleagues, praising Dlodlo's visionary leadership and the harmonious environment he cultivated within the club. "The secretariat was under him, and when I spoke to them, one of them said Dlodlo had developed a wonderful kind of harmony in the office. No worker feels better than the other. It's all lost now; I hope the harmony he planted will grow. Today we gather again barely a few weeks after laying to rest our all-weather benefactor, Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube, to bid farewell to yet another remarkable individual within the club family, Sihlangu Dlodlo," Mnkandla remarked.

Highlanders captain, Ariel Sibanda, encouraged those in attendance to celebrate Dlodlo's life and honor his memory, values, and principles.

The funeral also saw attendance from representatives of Premier Soccer League clubs, sponsors such as Sakunda Holdings and Better Brands, and other business partners.

Dlodlo, a multi-talented individual with expertise spanning football administration, refereeing, education, marketing, farming, and the arts, is survived by his wife, Nokuthula, and three children. His legacy as a visionary leader and dedicated community member will undoubtedly continue to inspire and influence the future of the Highlanders Football Club.