Volleyball mourns as legend Vulindlela Moyo dies a week after honour

VULINDLELA Moyo received a fitting tribute from his volleyball community just a week before his passing last Sunday, honoured for a lifetime of service that left an enduring mark on the sport in Matabeleland and beyond.

“We had a ceremony to honour him at our annual prize giving event. It was in recognition of his service to volleyball in the last three decades. We valued that he was the last man standing among his peers as all that he played with are no longer actively involved with Matabeleland volleyball,” said Lycans Bekezela Ndlovu.

Moyo, one of the founding players of former Zone Six Championships finalists Highlanders, enjoyed a distinguished playing career that saw him represent Bulawayo Raiders, ZRP Raiders and the 1995 Zimbabwe All Africa Games team.

Over the years, he dedicated himself to coaching, guiding the national women’s team, Lycans Ladies, Spartan and Shalom of Victoria Falls. His commitment to the sport was reflected in his own development, having risen to the level of International Volleyball Federation Level Three coach.

Meanwhile, Moyo’s family and friends continued to receive condolence messages yesterday from across Zimbabwe and beyond its borders.

The Zambia Volleyball Association joined Zimbabweans in mourning the death of the respected volleyball figure. Moyo, 58, died at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo early Sunday morning after a prolonged battle with illness.

In a statement, the chairman of Zambia’s volleyball governing body, Samuel Sinyinza, said Moyo’s contribution to the sport would remain unforgettable. He described him as a true icon of the game.

“It is with profound sadness that I learnt of the passing of coach Jasper Vulindlela Moyo, a true legend of volleyball. On behalf of the Zambia Volleyball Association, its Board of Administration, and the entire Zambian volleyball family, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association and to the family, friends and colleagues of the late coach Jasper.

“Coach Jasper’s contributions to volleyball will never be forgotten. His dedication, passion and leadership inspired generations of athletes and left an indelible mark on the sport. May his legacy continue to inspire us all and may his noble soul rest in eternal peace.”

The Bulawayo Metropolitan Volleyball Association chairman, Munyaradzi Chigudu, described Moyo’s passing as a deeply felt loss to the sport and its development both in the city and beyond.

“We are heartbroken with the passing on of Vulindlela Jasper Moyo, an icon in our volleyball. I knew him since 2002 when I came to Bulawayo, he had a lot of passion, which I hope can be taken and be given to somebody else,” said Chigudu, who played both with and under Moyo at Bulawayo Raiders and ZRP Raiders.

Volleyball legend Clifford Makunike, whose generation inspired Moyo and his peers, struggled to find words.
“The last conversation I had with Moyo last year was that it was his wish that we meet as legends in a while and play together. I am shocked by his departure, I was not aware that health was failing him,” said Makunike, a former centre blocker and centre attacker for Sparrows Thabani and the Zimbabwe national team.

Itsanang Abu Basuthu, Moyo’s friend and former teammate at Highlanders and Bulawayo Raiders, recounted their first encounter as schoolboy opponents back in 1987.

“We first met as schoolboys, I was at Luveve High School and he was at Hamilton. He encouraged me not to rest on my Level Two coaching certificate attained in Lesotho, he pushed me to go with him to train for Level Three in Sudan,” said the former Bulawayo Raiders receiver and outside hitter, Abu Basuthu.

At one point, Abu Basuthu coached the senior men’s national team while Moyo led the women’s side.
Bartness Phiri, remembered alongside Taurai Mlauzi as a Njube High School player in 1995 before rising to win the Matabeleland Aids Council International Volleyball Tournament in 1996/97, said Moyo played a defining role in shaping his career.

“He was my coach, mentor and teammate all in one. I learnt so much about life from him,” said Phiri from South Africa.

Moyo’s standout player at Bulawayo Raiders, Edson Givi Sibanda, also shared his grief from South Africa.
“I’m very sorry to hear about Vulindlela’s passing. No words can describe the pain the family is going through. May his soul rest in peace.”