By Augustine Hwata
DEATH yesterday robbed Zimbabwe of one of the finest footballers ever to grace our fields, Highlanders legend Tymon Mabaleka.
He was 65.
Mabaleka, who also played for the Warriors soon after Independence, died yesterday afternoon at the Avenues Clinic after a short illness.
Last night details of the Bosso legend’s death were still sketchy but family spokesperson Sithulisiwe Mokueli said they were still trying to come to grips with the tragedy.
Besides making waves as a star midfielder at Bosso, Mabaleka was a distinguished music producer who worked with Lovemore Majaivana, John Chibadura (Mudiwa Janet) and Simon Chimbetu (Kunjere Kunjere) among others.
Mokueli said Mabeleka was rushed to hospital on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day Mabaleka had even reported for work before he started feeling unwell.
“He was admitted at the hospital in the afternoon after complaining of chest pains. He said he was having difficulties in breathing,” she said.
Mabaleka was detained overnight at the hospital but died at around 2pm yesterday.
“I cannot say much at the moment but he had been struggling to breathe,” said Mokueli.
Last night colleagues from all walks of life had started to gather at 67 Eastern Road in Mandara for the funeral wake.
Mabaleka was one of the legends at Bosso where he excelled for the team in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside Bruce Grobbelaar, Barry Daka, Josiah Nxumalo, Edward Dzowa and Andrew Jele, Douglas “British” Mloyi.
Bosso chief executive Ndumiso Gumede said Mabaleka was one of the players who were disciplined on and off the pitch.
“I was chairman when he was a player and later on we became very close through our families. He was a distinguished midfielder, very disciplined on and off the pitch.
“I do not remember him getting a yellow card in a game. I am not saying he never got a yellow card but I do not remember any,” said Gumede.
Gumede said Mabaleka was one of the players who inspired the generation of players like Madinda Ndlovu, Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo and Peter Nkomo.
“Players like Mabaleka were role models for the guys like Willard and Madinda who replaced them in the team.
“The squad which followed that of Mabaleka was known as the “Liverpool Highlanders” and it was their predecessors who had inspired them.
“At that time Bruce had moved to Liverpool and it was a great team with Ian Rush and John Barnes. So it’s a sad moment indeed for all of us.
“After he quit football he went on to produce songs for Lovemore Majaivana and one of the songs talks of the virtues of the club called Highlanders,” said Gumede.
Mabaleka, who was a producer at Gramma and Zimbabwe Music Corporation, is survived by his wife and three children. The Herald
