Sports / Soccer
Highlanders bids Sibanda farewell
16 Feb 2016 at 14:47hrs | Views
In true poetic justice Highlanders gave veteran Gwanda football legend Mathemba Sibanda who died of heart failure in Gwanda early Monday morning the best farewell he deserved.
Sibanda was part of a crowd of over 6000 people who thronged the 5000 seater Pelandaba stadium in Gwanda to watch a friendly match between Hghlanders and a Gwanda Select.
Incidentally, more than half of the players who played for the Gwanda Select were products of the popular Jahunda All Stars Football Academy operated by Sibanda.
Throughout the match, Sibanda set on the terraces next to his brother Member of Parliament for Gwanda South Madodana Sibanda full of life in his usual casual and jovial mood unknowing that it was the last time he is taking part in football proceedings at his beloved stadium.
According to a family member, Sibanda succumbed to a sudden heart failure at Gwanda Provincial Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning.
"We are very shocked by this death. He didn't exhibit any signs of an illness until he complained of losing breath at about 5 in the morning before passing on an hour later at the hospital," said the family member.
Gwanda residents expressed shock at the sudden death of Sibanda who they described as an icon in the town. Christopher Sibanda a resident in the town said that the town has been robbed of a committed son of the town who gave all his life to the development of the town.
Gwanda Residents Association chairman Bekezeli Fuzwayo said that the death of Sibanda was a real shock to the town and Gwanda residents are devastated by the loss. He described him as an unreplaceable asset of the town.
"We will never have any other to match Sibanda in Gwanda. It's a huge loss indeed," said Fuzwayo.
Sibanda was part of a crowd of over 6000 people who thronged the 5000 seater Pelandaba stadium in Gwanda to watch a friendly match between Hghlanders and a Gwanda Select.
Incidentally, more than half of the players who played for the Gwanda Select were products of the popular Jahunda All Stars Football Academy operated by Sibanda.
Throughout the match, Sibanda set on the terraces next to his brother Member of Parliament for Gwanda South Madodana Sibanda full of life in his usual casual and jovial mood unknowing that it was the last time he is taking part in football proceedings at his beloved stadium.
According to a family member, Sibanda succumbed to a sudden heart failure at Gwanda Provincial Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning.
"We are very shocked by this death. He didn't exhibit any signs of an illness until he complained of losing breath at about 5 in the morning before passing on an hour later at the hospital," said the family member.
Gwanda residents expressed shock at the sudden death of Sibanda who they described as an icon in the town. Christopher Sibanda a resident in the town said that the town has been robbed of a committed son of the town who gave all his life to the development of the town.
Gwanda Residents Association chairman Bekezeli Fuzwayo said that the death of Sibanda was a real shock to the town and Gwanda residents are devastated by the loss. He described him as an unreplaceable asset of the town.
"We will never have any other to match Sibanda in Gwanda. It's a huge loss indeed," said Fuzwayo.
Source - Byo24News
