adminLovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
HIGHLANDERS FC great Tymon Mabaleka will be buried in Bulawayo on Thursday, a family spokesman has said. He was 64. Mabaleka died Friday morning, a day after he had been admitted to Avenues Clinic in Harare complaining of a fever attack. Israel Mabaleka confirmed yesterday that Tymon’s body will arrive in Bulawayo on Wednesday ahead of burial on Thursday. He said it had been resolved that there be one funeral wake in the capital to save on expenditure.
“He will be buried in Bulawayo on Thursday. We will leave Harare on Wednesday. We decided as a family to cut down on expenses by having one funeral wake. Tymon joined Highlanders in 1973 from Eastlands. He guided Highlanders to their first major title in national football — the Chibuku Trophy that year.
He was in the team that lost in the cup final of the same tournament the following year but was a key player as his team won three consecutive regional league titles between 1973-75.
A great attacking midfielder, charismatic on and off the field, Tymon played for Highlanders up to the end of 1982 when he retired from soccer.
He gained respect within the club’s followers as he remained loyal to the team despite the 1977 split which saw senior players like Barry Daka, the late Ananias Dube, Zenzo Ndlovu and Stanley Nyika leave to form Olympics in protest against the club’s decision to play lower division football.
Tymon with other loyal sons such as Lawrence Phiri, Douglas and Tennyson Mloyi and Josiah Nxumalo formed a new look side. Unlike other former players who return to haunt clubs they played for demanding jobs or creating factions, Tymon slipped quietly out of the game that gave him fame. He would from time to time be part of the Bosso family in the capital that facilitated the hosting of the first team for Harare matches.
At the time of his death, he was a top music producer with a leading music company and worked with some of the country’s best selling groups like Lovemore Majaivana and the Zulu Band and Solomon Skuza and the Fallen Heroes.
Tymon leaves behind wife Josephine, two sons and a daughter.
One of his sons is in custody at Harare prison and could not attend his father’s funeral.
Tymon is the second high profile Highlanders player to die in the last 12 months after his former attacking teammate, Majuta Mpofu.
Mourners are gathered at 67 Mandara, Harare.
Online Reporter