Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
A local city parlour service hall was yesterday filled to capacity as mourners gathered to bid farewell to legendary volleyball player Vulindlela Moyo, who died in Bulawayo on Sunday morning.
He was 58.
Moyo will be buried in Donkwe Donkwe, about 100km from Bulawayo in Matobo District.
Dozens of former players, friends, workmates and relatives thronged the parlour in Bulawayo’s Kelvin West Industrial Area to pay their last respects to the great player.
A number of prominent city personalities — Mackson Hlalo, Sam Ncube, Zenzo Madonko, Mkhuphali Masuku, Tobias Mudyambanje, Lungile Moyo (son of former Highlanders patron Tafi Moyo) — as well as volleyball legends Dumisani Vundla, Chekuda Makuyana, Itsanang Abu Basuthu and Fiso Siziba, who is also the Highlanders FC vice chairman, a club Moyo loved and was a life member of, were all present to witness Moyo’s final send off.
A multi silverware winner in a career spanning over 35 years, Moyo, who attended both Donkwe Donkwe primary and secondary schools where his volleyball journey began, leaves a huge void in the sport.
Just the previous week, Moyo had been honoured by the Bulawayo Metropolitan Volleyball Association for his long and dedicated service to the game.
He was due for another award from his former teammates and opponents, “The Last Man Standing”.
Moyo’s volleyball career received a major lift when he made the Entumbane High School team in 1987, establishing himself as one of the key players alongside the late Makhosini Tshabalala and Nkosana Sibanda.
In 1989, Moyo was among a group of 1988 school leavers who joined Francis Moyo, Raerburn Ndebele and the late Augustine Ngulube at Vikings Volleyball Club at Tshaka Youth Centre.
By the end of that year, Vikings had joined the Highlanders Sports Association, which required the team to play in the Matabeleland Volleyball Association as Highlanders.
Using his height to great effect, he became one of the best outside hitters in Matabeleland, earning a call up to the provincial team that won the Inter Provincial title in Gweru in 1992.
His second major title came in 1993 when he won the Matabeleland Volleyball Association Mid Season Tournament alongside Sikhumbuzo Gwala, Ndebele, Edson Gift Sibanda, Qinisa Fuyana and Fortune Sithole Ndlovu.
His first national club title was the Anniversary Cup in August of the same year.
At the end of 1994, Moyo was drafted into the All Africa Games provisional squad but missed out to
Erasmus and Valentine Ernest Mangava.
He never gave up, continued working hard, and eventually became one of the 12 players who took part in the All Africa Games competition in Bulawayo.
In 1995, Moyo joined a group of Entumbane, Gifford and Ihlathi schoolboys to form Bulawayo Raiders, the 1996 Zimbabwe Open winners, with whom he dominated the sport in Bulawayo, Midlands and Matabeleland for several years.
At Raiders he played with Sairota Banda, Ndaba Magutshwa, Treasure Vundla, Mailos Ncube, Michael Risenza, Django Charlwood, Msindo Ngwarati, Edson Sibanda, Sifiso Ndiweni, Conrad Kupara, Itsanang Abu Basuthu, Fortune Sithole Ndlovu, Hudson Kaluwa, Herbert Mutisi, Bartness Phiri and Taurayi Mlauzi.
Moyo coached ZRP Raiders, Lycans, Railstars, Youth Games Select, Matabeleland Select and Spartans.
He was later appointed national ladies’ team coach and held a Level Three International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) certification.
Moyo is survived by his wife, Sitshengisiwe.
At the service, Mkhuphali Masuku and his friend Aubrey Ndlovu shared memories of their life with the legendary volleyball coach and player.
