Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TWO years have passed since Zimbabwean netball lost one of its finest, Pauline Jani, yet her absence echoes loudly through the court and beyond.
While the senior national team and her former club ZRP Mambas continue to wrestle with the void she left at goal shooting, her grave lies neglected at the Zororo Memorial Park, abandoned by those who should have been the first to provide support.
The netball fraternity has stepped up, determined to honour a heroine whose family has seemingly forgotten her.
Jani was part of the trailblazing Gems side that stunned the world at their maiden Netball World Cup in Liverpool in 2019, finishing an unforgettable eighth.
Fans were left breathless by her netball IQ and lethal scoring ability.
Yet, behind the bright lights and medals for Jani, was a life etched in hardship, a story of heartbreak, resilience and love for a game that gave her a reason to fight.
From a young age, Jani’s life was punctuated by betrayal.
Orphaned early in life, she and her only sibling, Mike, survived on the margins, including at one point living in a disused vehicle parked in Masvingo.
She hawked freezits in the city, just to scrape by.
For those who knew her off the court, Jani’s childhood was an emotional trigger, a chapter too raw to speak of lightly.
“I was on and off school due to financial woes. Fortunately, I later got a netball-based educational scholarship at Pamushana,” she once revealed in an interview with this publication.
By Form Two, Jani had earned her first national team call-up. The school catered for her basic needs, but her heart remained with Mike, who was staying with their uncle.
When news came that he was being mistreated, she fled school, returning to vending to provide for him.
It was not long before the school authorities found her and brought her back. But her fight was far from over.
After finishing school, she began her professional netball journey with Gaths Mine in 2008.
She later moved to Shangani Mine, Railstars, Hwange and finally ZRP Mambas, where she also joined the police force.
There, she crossed paths with Yolanda Moyo, a workmate who would become her closest friend and eventual caregiver during her final days. Her relatives were absent in her ailing period and Moyo had to shoulder the burden alone.
“Jani struggled in her last days. I watched her in pain, and the emotional torture of not having family around her was unbearable,” Moyo said, holding back tears.
“The wound is still fresh. We shared the same bed and now, two years later, I’m here alone, still trying to recover.
“Her grave is still in a bad state. No one from her family has shown interest. We will do it for her because we were her family.”
On the court, Jani’s record was near sacred.
Suitors have come and gone for the demanding GS position, but none has matched her flair, power and precision.
She was crowned Goal Shooter of the Year three times, in 2019, 2021 and 2022, in the Rainbow Amateur Netball League.
Jani bagged countless accolades and her name remained a fearsome mention across the netball fraternity.
Yet off the court, her life played out like a tragic script of neglect. And death has not rewritten that narrative.
Her funeral saw minimal family presence. Today, her grave lies forgotten, and her brother Mike’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Following Jani’s death, Mike got employed somewhere in Triangle, but he has since left the job and his former employer has no idea of his whereabouts.
In response, the netball community has rallied to raise funds for a tombstone for Jani’s grave, a final tribute to a player they refuse to let fade in silence.
“She is a legend, and to honour her posthumously with a tombstone is noble,” said diaspora-based netball supporters.
“Her family has been quiet, so we felt it is our responsibility to do this. We’re putting together funds and those willing to contribute are welcome to reach out.”
The fundraising effort is being led by former Premier Netball League chairperson Sarudzai Chapo, a legend herself, who once took Jani into her home when the star lacked shelter.
“The only relative of hers whom I know is Mike. Her life revolved around him,” Chapo said.
“Mike has not been reachable for some time now and we are worried, unsure of his whereabouts. We also reached out to Jani’s aunt, alerting her of our plans. She gave us the greenlight to continue with the tombstone programme. Once we get enough funds, we’ll then set the date.”
Online Reporter