Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
MATABELELAND South netball community has been left shell-shocked by the death of the province’s veteran netball administrator and coach John Dube, who died at Phakamani Clinic in Gwanda on Tuesday evening after succumbing to hypertension.
He was 65.
The condition forced him to take a sabbatical from netball, a sport that was part of his day-to-day duties for nearly four decades.
Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) southern region head of technical Vina Maseko described Dube’s death as a huge blow not only to the province, but the nation as a whole.
She said Dube was a veteran of the game who was also a fountain of knowledge from his many years on the court.
“He had been in the game for a very long time. I came to Matabeleland South upon retirement in 2001 and found him already active in the sport. Dube developed, not only netball, but a lot of people in this part of the country, hence the enormous respect that he held. His death is a huge blow to the province and indeed the nation at large. We pass our sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family and the entire netball constituency,” said Maseko.
Outgoing Rainbow Amateur Netball League (Ranl) Matabeleland South chairperson Lisa Mangena said Dube was a dedicated servant of the game, who brought Division One netball to Blanket Mine.
“I worked with him when I was the Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) secretary-general for Bulawayo and he was the fixtures secretary some years back. We had an excellent professional and personal working relationship because he was also my uncle. He was a dedicated man to the game. Words really fail me because we worked so well on and off the court as well.
“The man was so dedicated to the sport that he eventually bought Division One netball to Blanket Mine from Bulawayo. When we were running Free Stars in Bulawayo and had financial challenges, he was always there for us,” said Mangena.
The Matabeleland South Sports and Recreation Commission co-ordinator Lifa Mpofu expressed shock at the death of Dube.
“It is a very unfortunate thing that has befallen this province. Dube and the rest of the guys were doing an excellent job in developing netball in the province. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” said Mpofu.
Dube is expected to be laid to rest today at his rural home in Chirumanzu in the Midlands province.
He leaves behind wife Soneni, seven children and 10 grandchildren.
Online Reporter