BY SPORTS REPORTER
FORMER Flame Lily player Raphael Kawondera has died.
He was 28. Kawondera died at Chitungwiza South Med Hospital on Tuesday after a short illness. He worked as a prison officer and was playing for Prisons FC, a Division Two side, at the time of his death.
His uncle, Ralph Kawondera, a former Dynamos assistant and Flame Lily coach, confirmed the death.
“He complained of a headache on Saturday last week, and he went to hospital the following day, where he was attended to. Everything seemed fine, and he even went and played a soccer match on Independence Day on Thursday. He complained of a fever afterwards, but it was nothing serious. He went to work on Tuesday, that is when the situation deteriorated. He was taken to South Med and died around midday before he could be attended to by the doctor,” Ralph narrated.
Raphael was part of the history-making Flame Lily squad that won promotion into the Premiership in 2014 under Nesbert Saruchera. He is the twin brother of Triangle United captain Ralph. “He was a very good boy. I was taking care of the boys together with their brother Richard after the death of their dad, who is my brother. He was supposed to get married in the coming few months,” the senior Ralph added.
Ralph yesterday collapsed after learning of his brother’ death, and needed hospital treatment and counselling, the premier league club said.
