Wenslus Murape
Zimpapers Sports Hub
EPHRAIM Mwale will be buried at Bulawayo’s Umvutshwa Cemetery today.
Mwale was 58.
The late forward’s sister confirmed yesterday that her brother who died on in Johannesburg, South Africa last week on Monday, would be buried today. She said all paperwork had been sorted out and a memorial service was held at a Johannesburg parlour on Saturday.
Mwale was born at Tshabalala Clinic in Bulawayo on 24 July 1966.
He attended Masuku Primary School in the suburb and proceeded to Ihlathi High School. With soccer a favourite pastime for the boys in Tshabalala, Mwale joined other boys to horn his skills and shone as a youngster giving an indication of a great talent in the future.
“After Ihlathi he worked at Cotton Printers whom he played for before joining Marlin Husky and Eagles,” said Cecilia.
After Eagles, Mwale joined Black Mambas with Kenneth Thebe, Collet Dube, Nhlanhla Sithole and Joseph Dube among the Bulawayo boys.
In 1992 having moved to AmaZulu FC in South Africa under the legendary former Bafana Bafana coach, the late Clive Barker, Mwale wrote himself into South African folklore when his pile driver against Kaizer Chiefs landed them the CocaCola Cup.
An injury cut short his career in 1993.
He was forced to look for employment and he joined a security company in Johannesburg and operated at the OR Tambo Airport for a very long time according to Cecilia.
“In 1993 he suffered an injury that forced him into retirement. Thereafter he worked for a security company at the OR Tambo International Airport,” she said.
He retired from the job in 2020 and started his own business and was ever up and down building his home in Sizinda.
Cecilia described her brother’s death as a big loss to the family as everyone looked up to him.
Ephraim is the elder brother of Thomas Chimenya, who played for Railstars and ZPC Hwange as a leftfooted striker.
“Thomas is my young brother, we are Mwale-Chimenya, we use a double barrel surname. We were six boys and as many girls,” said Cecilia.
Online Reporter