×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Huge send-off expected for Gumede

Sport
Gumede’s sister Cephekhulu Fuyane yesterday confirmed the programme for the former Zifa vice-president’s burial.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

A CHURCH service for the late Highlanders’ president Ndumiso Gumede will be held at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre this morning before his body leaves for his rural home in Inyathi ahead of burial tomorrow.

Thousands of people, particularly football stakeholders from across the country are expected to throng the Amphitheatre to pay their last respects to the revered late veteran football administrator, who died last week after a short illness.

Gumede’s sister Cephekhulu Fuyane yesterday confirmed the programme for the former Zifa vice-president’s burial.

“Everybody that we were waiting for is here and there will be a service tomorrow (today) morning at the (Bulawayo) amphitheatre from 8am up around 1pm and we expect all speakers lined up to have finished. After lunch we expect to eventually have him taken to Inyathi for burial on Tuesday (tomorrow),” Fuyane said.

Gumede’s two sons Mondliwethu and Cabangani and sister Thembekile Mhlophe, who are based outside the country have arrived.

The government is reported to have requested some documents from the family, but Fuyane said they are yet to get any feedback and they will go ahead with the family arrangements that were in place.

“They (government) have not said anything. So for now we are going to bury our hero at his rural home in Inyathi,” Fuyane said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last Thursday sent his condolences to the Gumede family amid growing calls from some sections for the veteran football administrator to be declared a national hero.

Gumede, a teacher, who also worked in insurance and was a soccer referee, started his career in football in the 1970s and at Independence was a Zifa committee member.

In the 1980s he became Highlanders chairperson and was responsible for the Bulawayo giants acquiring its assets, the offices at Number 50 Robert Mugabe Way in Bulawayo, the Highlanders Sports Club and the camping house in Luveve suburb, popularly known as Hotel California.

Gumede died at a time when the club’s principal sponsors Sakunda Holdings are in the process of renovating the club offices.

He went on to become Zifa secretary-general and Zifa president and in that position played a key role in unravelling the 2007-2010 Asiagate scandal intricacies.

Gumede went on to become Highlanders’ first chief executive before passing the baton to Nhlanhla Dube.

At the time of his death, he was the club president and died a week after the club, at the behest of some members, honoured him for the 40 years of service.

  • Follow Fortune on Twitter@FortuneMbele

Related Topics