Fundraising day organised for ailing former Highlanders “Diego” Khumalo

Senior Sports Reporter
A fundraising day has been organised for ailing former Highlanders, Intundla, Njube Sundowns and Mhangura midfielder Nkosilathi “Diego” Khumalo at Chinotimba Stadium in Victoria Falls on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Khumalo, a much travelled midfielder during his playing days has been unwell since his return five years ago from Botswana where he turned out for Extension Gunners. Now bedridden, Khumalo was this month admitted at Victoria Falls Hospital for 10 days until his release into his mother’s home based care last Thursday.

Morgan Dube, his former coach at Intundla where he spent most of his football years said Khumalo’s former teammates in the resort town had come up with the idea to raise funds for his medication and general upkeep.

According to Dube who is also the Highlanders Victoria Falls supporters chapter chairperson, a target of $500 has been set. Dube doubled up as Khumalo’s manager during his playing days.

On Sunday, the curtain raisers will be Victoria Falls legends, the bulk of them being Khumalo’s former teammates who will take on a social clubs select team while the main match of the day is between the two Zifa Southern Region sides from Victoria Falls, Amagagasi and Trumus.

“Everyone will pay a dollar including the players from curtain raisers. We are targeting $500 for his medication and general upkeep. He was in hospital from 14 September until he was released into home-based care on 24 September. Everyone around him has accepted the state that he is in, he is on home-based care, bedridden and has to be transported to and from hospital everyday for 60 days, the costs are high and the management will be very expensive hence the need to raise funds,’’ said Dube.

It is not the first time a match has been played in Khumalo’s honour as his former Intundla teammates organised a testimonial for him when he officially hung his boots when he returned from Botswana. Back then his former Intundla colleagues took on a Victoria Falls select made up of players from Division One and two teams at Chinotimba.

Khumalo, an exciting midfielder during his best days, made his Premier Soccer League debut for Mhangura at the age of 18 in 1997. He returned to Victoria Falls the following year where he turned out for Intundla up to 2000 when he left for Kwekwe Cables. He briefly joined Bulawayo giants Highlanders prior to his departure for Albania where he was on the books of Bylis Ballsh and Teuta Durres.

In 2004, Khumalo returned home to join the now defunct Njube Sundowns where he spent two seasons before he left for Botswana to join Extension Gunners.

His plight brings into the spotlight the situation that most retired sportspersons in the country find themselves in once their playing careers are over where they struggle for survival.