Mabaleka buried

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
LEGENDARY Highlanders FC and Zimbabwe attacking midfielder Tymon Mabaleka was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo yesterday.
In their eulogies, mourners described him as a “magnet” who drew people from all walks of life together.Mabaleka, 64, better known as “The White Horse” died on Friday in Harare.

The football great received a rousing send off with hundreds of people — relatives, business people, football family, colleagues and members of his church gathering for a service at Selbourne Park Seventh Day Adventist Church to bid him farewell.

“People knew his name before him because he was a great footballer. I can say he was a magnet because he drew people wherever he went. He promoted Bulawayo through his football prowess and made a lot of influence on people’s lives as a footballer and music producer,” said family spokesman, Christopher Siziba.

Born in Nswazi, Umzingwane District, Mabaleka attended Losikeyi Primary School in Bulawayo before proceeding to Mpopoma High School and later moved to Mzilikazi High School.

He began his illustrious career at Eastlands before moving to Highlanders in 1973.

That season is considered as the turning point for the once-docile club in semi-professional football. Bosso who had been promoted back to the elite league after topping the lower division in 1972 following their demotion in 1971 when they finished with a paltry seven points, relied on the brilliance of players like Tymon to assert themselves as one of Zimbabwe’s top sides.

With Tymon in the thick of things alongside Cavin Duberly, Lawrence Phiri, Billy Sibanda, Edward Dzowa, Kenny Luphahla, Mike Mpofu, Peter Bhebhe, Ananias Dube, Josiah Nxumalo and Boet Van Ays, Highlanders won their first major title — the 1973 Chibuku Trophy and regional title.

They were to win two more league titles in 1974 and 1975 before allegedly being cheated out of the 1976 national league. Consequences of that campaign saw some disgruntled players leave to form Olympics but Whitehorse, as Tymon was affectionately known, remained.

“Mabaleka was a true gentleman, on and off the field. He was a leader and everyone in the team enjoyed being close to him because of his wisdom,” said Bhebhe.

Dzowa cherished the times they had with Mabaleka.

“He came to Highlanders from Eastlands to strengthen our team and added value to the squad. He was a force to reckon with and we called him Umadla Phezulu Laphansi because he was good on the ground as well as in aerial tussles. Just like he used to attract people during his heydays, now he has done it again bringing people together after his life,” he said.

Sibanda said; “Mabaleka was our equivalent of Messi and he carried the burden of the team most of the times. His void was hard to fill in the team and people always asked about him whenever he was out. I think just like the life lessons that he used to teach us, he has given us as ex-players a challenge which is go to church and be remembered for the works of God.”

Madinda Ndlovu who said he was inspired by Mabaleka to learn to drive a car, singled out two games that the late had an influence on the result.

“He was a leader and is one of the people who welcomed me into the first team with the late Nhamo Shambira, among others. I enjoy driving today because of him as he used to give me his car keys so that I wash his car as a young man and also have a spin. I believe he lived his life for the best.

“I remember one day when we were at Gwanzura playing against Black Aces and then we had Themba Lunga who was just coming into the team and the boy was good with shots. The scoreline was 1-1, Lunga sent in a powerful cross which hit Mdala (Mabaleka) on the head and he collapsed before being ferried to the hospital. After the game we passed through the hospital to pick him up and he asked the result. We told him we won with him scoring the winning goal that knocked him out,” Madinda said.

The other memorable game that Madinda played with Mabaleka was against Arcadia when they were trailing 2-1 and the late maestro approached then coach James Nxumalo to plead with him to introduce Peter “Oxo” Nkomo who was on the bench with Kingstone Phiri starting as a goalkeeper.

Because of Mabaleka’s influence, Nkomo came in and scored the winner after creating an equaliser that Madinda scored.

Away from football, Mabaleka was an esteemed music producer who worked with the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, James Chimombe, Lovemore Majaivana, Leonard Zhakata, Obadiah Mathulana and Solomon S’kuza and the Fallen Heroes under Gallo later known as Zimbabwe Music Corporation’s Kudzanayi label.

Zhakata said he had lost a “father in music.”

Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda, the entire Highlanders board and executive, businessman Delma Lupepe, Ebson “Sugar” Muguyo, former Zifa official Vincent Pamire, Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda, Zenzo Moyo, Cosmas Zulu and Philemon Dangarembwa are some of the football personalities that attended the burial.