Chronicle EditorSikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
The late former Zimbabwe Saints forward Aubrey ‘Stepper’ Sauramba was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery with his friends giving emotional eulogies during a moving funeral service at the family home at Ntabazinduna Flats in Mzilikazi Suburb yesterday.
Sauramba, who played for two Chauya Chikwata generations, died on Sunday after a short illness, just 11 days after celebrating his 53rd birthday.
The funeral service and burial were attended by former players and legends from different football teams in Bulawayo, club representatives as well as Bulawayo deputy mayor Councilor Mlandu Ncube.
Also in attendance was Highlanders vice chairman Fiso Siziba, his Bulawayo City counterpart Zenzo Moyo, Footballers Union of Zimbabwe vice president Hebert Dick, former Zimbabwe Saints and national team coach Gibson Homela, Chicken Inn manager Sikhumbuzo China Banda and his assistant coach Prince Matore and Bulawayo Chiefs administration manager Mike Dube.
Siziba, Moyo, Dick and Dube are also Football Ambassadors social club players which the late Sauramba was also a member of, alongside the likes of Nkosana Santsho Gumbo, Ronald Gidiza Sibanda, Gift Lunga Jnr, Bruce Tshuma, Mayfield Daka, Danisa Phiri were all present as Bulawayo mourned and bade farewell to one of their own whose promising career was brought to an abrupt end by an injury.
The hearse carrying Sauramba’s body arrived at the family home at exactly 0900hrs for the funeral service with pallbearers made up of former players, carrying their former teammate’s casket to the house. Sauramba left the family home, for good at 11.35am.
Speaking during the funeral service Gumbo, who was struggling to hold back tears, said Sauramba’s death not only shocked and pained him but also left him a bitter man.
“During our Zimbabwe Saints days, Stepper was closer to my elder brother Norman and later we were to be very close friends, we were always together almost every day but when he got ill, he chose not to inform me that he wasn’t well. I am pained that Aubrey died without at least letting me know what was troubling him,” said Gumbo.
Siziba, speaking on behalf of Football Ambassadors said Sauramba was the backborne of their team who made sure they all stayed united and as one big family in times of happiness and sorrow.
“Every single day in the morning Aubrey would inbox every one of us with a good morning message. That is the character that he was and were blessed to have him in our little organisation.
His advantage too was that he played with two generations and it was easier for us too to mingle with otopi like Jimmy Phiri, Josphat ‘Mazhambe’ Humbasha as well as the younger Saints generation of Santsho, Ronald, China among others.
It was all because of this man we are bidding farewell today. Aubrey was also a strong character, he never wanted to lose, he never believed that he could get sick to an extent of going to the hospital, that is how he was,” said Siziba.
Sauramba was knocking on the doors of that all conquering Zimbabwe Saints that went on a trailblazing 23 match unbeaten run under Roy Barreto before landing the 1988 league title.
The team had the likes of Henry Bully Mckop, Ephraim Chawanda, Humbasha, Phiri, Joseph Machingura, George Ayibu among others. He had to start enjoying first team football when a number of these great stars either retired or went overseas with Homela now in charge of Chikwata.
It was around that time that Saints’ young generation was coming up, players like Agent Sawu, Banda, Ronald, Nkosana, Muzondiwa Mugadza.
Sauramba is survived by son Jeremiah (Junior).
Online Reporter