Online Reporter
Forward Nyanyiwa in CARLOW, Ireland
IT has taken Leonard Tsipa twenty one years to finally find the strength to talk about how fate ensured he survived an accident which took his close friend Blessing Makunike.
Two other teammates — Gary Mashoko and Shingi Arlon— died in the same crash on March 13, 2004. Two Green Machine fans also died in that inferno. They were travelling home from a league match against Njube Sundowns in Bulawayo.
Tsipa, who is now based in the UK, spoke to H-Metro in a wide-ranging interview.Gary was injured and followed the team to Bulawayo to give his teammates support.
“After the game, we got paid our allowances,” said Tsipa.
“Gary just disappeared with his friends and l remember Blessing buying a whisky bottle saying he wanted to drink in the bus since Gary had gone. Shingi bought three quarts of Castle Lager beer and l got two myself.
“As we were just leaving Bulawayo, Gary and his friends, who were travelling in a Honda Prelude overtook us and hooted for the bus to stop.
“I remember David Sengu blocking the door telling us not to disembark because it was against club policy to travel privately.
“It was at that time that Blessing, in his own words, told me that ‘Lenso, this is a two-door car you can jump in with me at the back.”
He added:
“My mind was split, l suffered a decisional conflict. Here was a chance for me to reach home early and in the company of my long-time friend but, at the same time, l didn’t want to sit squashed. I told Blessing that l was not going to sit packed in the car and l opted to remain in the bus.
“He then gave me a hug and did that to everyone before negotiating the way out past Sengu, who was at the door of the bus.”
Tsipa recalls that there were two stops along the way where the team would get free drinks whenever they were travelling from Bulawayo.
He said the car in which the three players, and the two fans, were travelling in was always in their sight until they reached the Chegutu/Norton roundabout.
The next time they would see the car, it was in flames, and their teammates were dead.
“When we reached the Hunyani River Bridge, our movement slowed down, there was a traffic jam despite the time of the day, it was almost midnight.The traffic was moving very slowly and Raymond Undi, who was a smoker, decided to disembark for a smoke.
“He was walking just in front of the bus. We could see a burning car from the bus. Suddenly, Undi raced back to the bus crying and saying ‘Guys ana Makunike hakusisina, mota yavo ndiyo yatsva.’
“Everyone disembarked from the bus, I remember running towards the burning car, pushing and shoving my way to get closer.
“I saw everything, it was horror, I just stood there, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was numb.”
He said there was a Nissan Pulsar which the Honda Prelude tried to avoid when it crashed into the pillars at the bridge.
Tsipa said a woman, who was travelling in that Nissan Pulsar, told them a horror story.
“The lady was still in shock too but she told us that one of the occupants, who had dreadlocks, was banging the window from inside the car, trying to smash it open before the fire spread out to burn the whole car.
“I knew it was Blessing and the feeling that l would have been with him in the back seat made me numb.
“I could visualise it, l couldn’t stand it, dying a painful death, it was a traumatic experience. I cried.
“I feel like l didn’t do enough to save Blessing.
I always ask myself why l let him go without me. Even though l survived, l still think it was just by the stroke of luck. I survived and l am grateful for it.”
Tomorrow, Tsipa talks about his time in Serbia, how he wasn’t initially the main striker at CAPS United and the money they made during the early part of the new millennium. Don’t miss your copy of this newspaper
