FORMER Zimbabwe Women Soccer League secretary-general Pauline Matute was laid to rest at the Warren Hills Cemetery, Harare, yesterday.
REPORT BY SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Hundreds of mourners gathered at the cemetery to pay their last respects to one of the founders of women soccer and former Dynamos supporters’ committee member. Dynamos board members Bernard Marriott and Owen Chandamale attended the burial together with former Dynamos chairman Simon Makaza.
Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, former Zifa senior administrator Lazarus Mhurushomana and former Premier Soccer League chief executive Chris Sambo also attended.
Makaza, in his graveside speech, said Matute was an outstanding leader who helped in the development of soccer in this country. Speaking on behalf of Dynamos, Makaza said he used to get advice from her way back in 1991 when they were still in the Dynamos supporters’ structures.
“Her death is very painful. I worked closely with Matute when we were still in the structures of the Dynamos supporters until she joined women soccer. They faced a lot of challenges with the likes of Susan Chibizhe in women soccer, but they remained resolute. She was a visionary leader and when I was Under-23 team manager, I always used to seek advice from her and she was very helpful.
“She was also my campaign manager when I contested the last Zifa election. I, however, lost that election and that is democracy. The last time I spoke to Matute was when she came to me and told me she was now into the private business of selling mineral water. She supplied me once. I never heard from her after that, only to hear last week that she was no more. It’s a great loss for football,” Makaza said.
Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association organising secretary Fortune “Giant” Bgwoni described the death of Matute as a great loss to football.
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“We worked with Matute very well. We were also together when we went to Tunisia in 2004 when Zimbabwe qualified for the Nations Cup finals for the first time. She was very passionate about football and this is a great loss to the football fraternity,” Bgwoni said.
Matute’s son, Irvine, thanked mourners for their support during the illness and death of his mother.
“I want to thank Zifa for all their contributions to make this burial a success. I also want to thank all people gathered here today, my sisters and other family members for standing by me throughout mother’s illness. Some have come from a long way, and others have waited patiently since mother passed on,” he said.
Matute died last week in East London, South Africa, where she had been seeking treatment for cancer. She was 51.
