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IT was to be expected that Ndumiso Gumede’s death at the age of 76 in Bulawayo on Wednesday would spark an emotional national outpouring of grief.
After all, Gumede is generally believed to be one of the country’s most noteworthy football administrators, who is held dearest at his beloved club Highlanders for transforming them into the best supported club in the country, and loved nationwide for his interestingly skilled administrative touch.
Gumede was a magnetic figure, who brought friends and foes together at Highlanders and Zifa.
He dedicated almost his entire adult life to football administration and excelled with distinctions in whichever role he was assigned or elected to.
He suffered from diabetes and hypertension for years, but managed the two conditions without seeking anyone’s sympathy.
In fact, if he had not told you, you wouldn’t have known that the two ailments were taking a heavy toll on him.
Ever smiling even when faced with the most chaotic administrative situations, which often characterised Highlanders and Zifa, Gumede stood out as the lone voice of reason.
A straight talker, Gumede was as straight as an arrow and never beat about the bush in his dealings, and neither did he take any side when factional battles broke out for the control of either Highlanders or Zifa.
He always seemed to settle for the straight and narrow path, and preferred to pack his bags and leave when he felt his presence was no longer needed.
Gumede almost always elected to follow his convictions and never ever solicited backing from anyone when contesting for a position.
He simply availed himself when approached and he was convinced that he could make a difference.
He was no power monger, and perhaps that explains why he was invited to take up almost all of his football leadership positions.
Gumede was an affable person, who made every person smile. He made gatherings lively with his wit-filled humour and easily fitted in every class of the society.
You could find him at places where men of his stature needed protection or on the sidelines of dusty patches with the common man watching football or some dance group.
Before ill-health took a toll on him, Gumede could easily outdance most youths, as he was somewhat clued up to the latest musical trends and dance moves.
When duty called for him to be Mr Gumede, he would dress up and gather the right pieces of etiquette to display for his relevant audience, but still give a glimpse of a streetwise man of great appeal to many Zimbabweans.
He was a gentleman of great enthusiasm and wisdom, a fountain of knowledge in so many fields that some people mistook him for some former Ndebele, English or History teacher.
A graduate of Gweru Teachers’ College in 1968, Gumede was a Mathematics and Science major, and his former pupils at Highfield Secondary and Mzilikazi Secondary schools in Harare and Bulawayo have testified what a great educator he was.
His acumen was displayed when he helped Zifa acquire properties in the early 1980s and led Highlanders in the acquisition of the present-day clubhouse, previously the Queens Bowling Club, Hotel California (Luveve camping house) and their current offices at 50 Robert Mugabe Way.
Gumede revealed that they had targeted acquiring Queens Sports Club, but failed after some of their members sold out.
The plan had been for Bosso members to populate the Queens’ membership and then vote in favour of the Highlanders’ takeover, but it never got to that stage, as the Queens’ management halted new membership registration after being informed about Gumede’s covert plan to take over the venue.
His visionary leadership was decades ahead of the Fifa Club Licensing. He felt Highlanders needed a professional outlook by owning assets to leverage the business brand always envisaged at Bosso.
With his vision, Bosso dominated national junior teams and the Warriors. The Natbrew Soccer Stars calendar was incomplete without a Highlanders’ player and with that the world was introduced to gems such as Madinda Ndlovu, Willard Khumalo, Peter Nkomo, Douglas Mloyi, Mercedes Sibanda, Alexander Maseko, Adam Ndlovu and his brother Peter.
With Harare teams dominating silverware after Ziscosteel and Zimbabwe Saints’ sparkle of 1977 and 1978, which saw the Chibuku Trophy, Castle Cup and league title stay across the Sanyati River, it needed Gumede’s charisma to break the jinx.
With the likes of Landcart Gumpo, Jahalamajaha Dlamini, Enock Mangena and Shadreck Sibanda, Gumede broke new ground for the club when he led Highlanders on a tour of Europe, with the juniors going to Aberdeen, Scotland, and seniors to Germany.
This resulted in Khumalo, Madinda and Paketh playing in Germany from 1989-1991.
He would leave Highlanders and teaching and move to Harare as a training officer at Old Mutual.
He had been frustrated in teaching when he was denied promotion to be deputy headmaster at Ihlathi High School under unclear circumstances.
A similar thing had also happened to him at Zifa when he sought office at the expiry of his committee member tenure in the first executive after John Madzima’s Rhodesia National Football League.
If ever a football Hall of Fame is to be set up in Zimbabwe, Gumede’s name must be among the first to grace it for his 48 years of selfless football leadership role.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter