Majuta Mpofu: ‘Rare breed of footballer’

Lovemore Dube Sports Editor
SOCCER legend Majuta Mpofu who died on Tuesday evening at the age of 63 after a long illness was yesterday described as a rare breed of a footballer.Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said Mpofu had left a big void in Zimbabwe football. He said the former Highlanders dribbling wizard’s genius was unparalleled and he had made the game of football a spectacle that thousands followed with keen interest during his playing days.

“As Zifa we are saddened that football has lost one of its own most beautiful flowers. He belonged to a rare breed of footballers whose dribbling was a marvel to watch and made fans come to stadia. He had not been heard from for a while and suddenly we hear he has gone quiet, its sad and our sympathies are with his family,” said Mashingaidze.

The Zifa head of secretariat said it was sad that Mpofu had passed on in the year, they are celebrating 50 years of existence and were looking forward to drawing a list of eminent footballers and Mpofu was likely to be among that list.

Premier Soccer League chief executive officer, Kennedy Ndebele described Mpofu’s death as a great loss to the game. He said he was just not a former footballer but a true legend.

“It’s a great loss to the game. When we talk of legends, he is different from former footballers, he is one of them, one guy who was very humble and was a crowd puller, it is sad to see him die when our football is celebrating 50 years,” said Ndebele.

Bosso chairman Peter Dube described Mpofu’s death as a sad blow to the club and the game.
“We join the Mpofu family in mourning a great footballer,” said Dube from Harare where he is attending a PSL/Supersport workshop.
He described his club star as one of the biggest names ever to don the team’s colours.

His former teammate at Highlanders, Ernest Sibanda described him as a rare gift to the game.
“He did incredible things on the pitch with the ball. Things that we could not do even when we tried hard, he was just amazing to watch and may his soul rest in peace. At times he was hard to understand but in him there was genius when it came to on the pitch business,” said Sibanda.

Another Bosso legend Zenzo Moyo said he heard a lot  a lot about Mpofu’s dribbling prowess during his childhood.
“I am too young to have watched him. But when we were growing up we heard about the great dribbler and player he was and that he motivated a lot of generations of players.

To cap it all in 1991 he was among the Under-23 team players, so he must have been a great asset to the game,” said Moyo a top goal scorer in 1998/99 and 2000 for Highlanders who also landed the Soccer Star of the Year accolade.

Former Zimbabwe Saints administrator Vincent Pamire joined the Bulawayo Wanderers and Highlanders family in mourning a rare talent.

“He entertained thousands and made football a delight to watch. He would be missed by all he saw him and or heard about him,” said Pamire.

Zimbabwe Leopards of Iminyela who play in the Bulawayo Province’s spokesperson Leonard Sibanda, said Mpofu’s loss was a big blow to the game.

“Jujuju” as Mpofu was affectionately known was a popular figure in the suburb during his youth having played at the local recreation club and for Bulawayo Wanderers who commanded a good following in the area. With the likes of Victor Moonsammy and Boy Ndlovu they made the suburb synonymous with Bulawayo Wanderers and Eagles and even in recent times he was a regular visit to the township.

“The nation has lost a crowd puller of note in Mpofu, his history is written all over and many youths have sought to follow his footsteps,” said Leonard.

Morris Mpofu, Majuta’s young brother yesterday said funeral arrangements were yet to be finalised. He said the player’s children who are based in South Africa Nontokozo and Macjuta had arrived yesterday afternoon and Majuta’s father is expected today from Lupane.

“Two of his children who were outside the country have arrived and our father is expected in the city tomorrow (this morning) it is then that we will sit down and make all arrangements as a family,” said Morris.