Sundaymail Editor
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
FORMER footballers yesterday joined Butler Masango’s family and friends in Harare for a church service ahead of the former Zimbabwe youth international’s burial at his rural home in Chiweshe.
Masango died on Sunday at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, following heart complications. His body was flown back home yesterday.
He was 47.
Former Dynamos midfielder Desmond Maringwa, who now heads the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe, said although they were mourning Masango, they also celebrated the contribution he made to the country’s most popular sport.
Masango, who was now running a football academy in South Africa, was reportedly instrumental in linking talented local players with South African clubs.
He had also become a football scout for South African Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs after hanging his boots in the early 2000s.
“It is a big loss to the football fraternity since he had embarked into junior football development in South Africa, taking in a lot of youngsters into his academy. It is very sad that we have lost someone. We value what he did for football,” said Maringwa.
It is their hope, Maringwa said, that one of his children will also take after him.
“It’s a sad day for football in Zimbabwe. Masango had become a link for Zimbabwean players to South Africa.
“Most players who went to South Africa needed his help in one way or the other. He always welcomed Zimbabweans at his house and played a pivotal role in linking the players with teams in South Africa,” said CAPS United assistant coach Takura Shariwa.
Alois Bunjira, who played with Masango at both CAPS United and the Young Warriors, said the former player was “always supportive of football development projects”.
“Butler was a long-time friend of mine; we started knowing each other at the tender age of 13 … He was a year older than me, and we played together at Chitungwiza Youth Stars, before we played together at CAPS United.
“We also played together in the Zimbabwe Under-23 during the 1995 All-Africa Games.
“I have always regarded him as a brother and he was always supportive of the football development projects that I do here. He was someone who was passionate about football development in Zimbabwe; this is a sad for our football in Zimbabwe.
“Butler has left a void that will be difficult to fill,” said Bunjira.
Former Rufaro Rovers player and now development coach Patridge Muskwe described Masango as one of the finest talents to ever come from Zimbabwe who was always ready to help his fellow countrymen to make it in South Africa.
“I have a long history with Butler. We played together at Rufaro Rovers. He was a good footballer who was always driven by the desire to win and (was) very passionate about football.
“Even after he hung up his boots, he remained passionate about football, something that saw him establishing his own academy in South Africa. He was always keen to see Zimbabweans making it in South Africa, hence he was always ready to help his fellow countrymen to succeed,” said Muskwe.
Former Dynamos winger Simon Chuma and Pardon Chivasa, who played for the now-defunct Blackpool, were among members of the football fraternity who attended the church service.
Online Reporter