South Zone Soccer League legend dies

GREY Ncube, a stalwart of the shortlived South Zone Soccer League has died.

He died in Plumtree after a two-year battle with prostate cancer at the age of 73.

Alfred Tshuma, a family spokesperson and maternal cousin, of the former Black Horrors star midfielder confirmed yesterday that Ncube passed on, on Monday.

“He had been unwell for some time and finally breathed his last on Monday. We are grieved as a family to have lost a unifier, a man who always loved to be around family and brought people together whatever the situation was,” said Tshuma.

Born on August 5, 1951 in Zimnyama Area of Mangwe District, Ncube attended Plumtree African School, now Dingumuzi and proceeded to Thekwane High School where he continued playing football. He featured in the school team playing as a rightback and by the late 1960s, he was already playing club football.

“After completing his fourth year of secondary school education at Thekwane, he worked at Albert Matiwa’s butchery and by early 1970s he was a key member of the club playing alongside Zebediah Chitimbe, Nicholas, Joseph Muphufa Mpofu, his younger brother Andrew Mkandawire, Carpenter Sibanda, Melusi Mnkandla, Michael Mnkandla, Pius Ndiweni, Onesimo Phiri, Richard Phiri and were later joined by three players Richard Ndlovu, Lemmy Mnenekwa and Onias Musana,” said Tshuma who also featured for the club.

Musana rose to play for Moroka Swallows, Zimbabwe Saints and the senior national team.

Mnenekwa turned out for Highlanders and Wankie after leaving Black Horrors in 1980.

Ncube alongside Jonathan Ndukwana, Fred Merewa and Willem Mawande are credited with pushing for the improvement of Dingumuzi Stadium.

“It was just a football field without turf. These guys pushed for the planting of turf on the field, so on the days Horrors were supposed to be training, there would be grass (lawan), Border Kings would do the same and similarly BSAP Plumtree would do the same,” said Tshuma.

Simile Madubeko Moyo, the father of former Sunday News sports editor Phathisani, played for the police side BSAP before ditching the force to join the struggle.

He played as a Number 6, 8 and 10 giving great back up to Musana and Lemmy Mnenekwa in attack. He was good defensively and superb in attack and matched stars of that time like Alfred “Ngedla” Phiri, Tymon “Whitehorse” Mabaleka and Greg Fassen.

For a number of years, he was sought after by big clubs but opted to stay in Plumtree where he eventually got a job to work as a clerk until eight years ago when he reached retirement age.

He made Horrors one of the most respected clubs in the South Zone in 1977 and 1978 and was the combustion chamber as the unheralded Plumtree side reached the semi-final of the Chibuku Trophy won by a CAPS United side, which had Stephen Chisango, Shadreck Ngwanya, Charles Sibanda, Isaac Mafaro, Shaky Tauro, Stanley Ndunduma, Joel Shambo and Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa.

Even after being poked by fans having arrived at the back of Albert Matiwa’s red Isuzu truck, Black Horrors gave a very good account of themselves with a committed display.

Bulawayo Soccer Coaches Association chairman Johnson Nkomazana, paid tribute to Ncube.

“I played with him and he was a brilliant midfielder,” said Nkomazana.

Ncube who leaves behind a wife and six children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren will be buried in Plumtree on Saturday morning.

“These are legends we hear about sadly our institutional memory is limited. He was a good ambassador for the region’s First Division and Division Two from what I gather. May his soul rest in peace,” said Blessing Mbwanda, the spokesperson of the Zifa Southern Region.

Ncube was a diehard Tottenham Hotspurs and was at the team’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year.