EASTERN Region Division One football league side, Buffaloes skipper, Shepherd Nkata, has recounted the last moments of the unfortunate death of teammate, Simbarashe Nyauzima.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

Nyauzima (29) collapsed and died at the team’s training session on Monday. He was buried at Glenforest Cemetery in Harare yesterday.

Nkata, who was next to the deceased when tragedy struck, is regretting having failed to save his friend. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained.

He said the incident will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Nkata said he could have saved his team mate, but took his time to help when Nyauzima collapsed head first, as he thought it was his “usual” clowning around.

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“We had our routine warm-up sessions, where we run about 15 laps. He was joking as usual and all players were laughing. After completing the laps, we decided to cool ourselves at a water tap and all that time he was fooling around,’’ he said.

“After he had taken a few gulps of water, he fell down, hitting the ground with his head. Other players, Edmore Shumba and Prince Mudawu, were also present, but we all thought it was one of his stunts so we ignored him.”

“But then I noticed something, he was not moving. I called him three times and there was no response, and that’s when I knew something was wrong. I attended to him and I think he had just breathed his last. I called the team medic to attend to him, but it was too late. We called an ambulance, as the medics tried to resuscitate him and by the time it arrived, he had died,’’ he said.

“If I had not waited for long and acted a minute earlier, maybe I could have saved him. It’s very sad we lost one of us that way. It will stick in my mind forever.”

Nyauzima, who had recently married, is survived by wife Tiny and a five-year-old son Khalil.

Mourners are gathered at 50 Simon Road Waterfalls, Harare.
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