Chrispen Tabvura
Choice News Africa
Bulawayo – Zimbabwe Sports fraternity has plunged into mourning, again following the loss of two soccer greats, George Shaya and Ernest Maphepha Sibanda, whose death robbed the soccer fans of the vibrant football legends.
As if it is not enough, a few weeks ago, Zimbabwe also lost a veteran boxing trainer, Philip Striker Ndlovu, whose legacy unleashed a lot of boxing talent that is still flying the Zimbabwean flag high around the world.
Sibanda was a dedicated Highlanders Football Club, footballer, Manager and Chairman who is well known for having led Bosso in their several successful games.
He succumbed to diabetes and was laid to rest in Bulawayo, amid pomp and fanfare, as the Bosso fans were celebrating the life of their hero.
The former Highlanders soccer hero was given a hero’s send off, after a long march and parade that flooded the streets of Bulawayo.
While in Harare, soccer fans also gathered to bid farewell to George Shaya, a former association football forward, who played for Dynamos and the Rhodesian National team, during the 1960s and 1970s.
He was considered one of Dynamos all time finest players, as well as one of the best ever from the present day Zimbabwe. He was laid to rest in Harare amid emotional scenes.
Several speakers from both funerals spoke of their soccer prodigious neglect from the current government, as the Ministry of Sports never contributed to wellbeing of the two, during their time in health challenges.
The government of Zimbabwe is well known for only associating with sports persons, when they are flourishing at their pick, and that would only be the time the sports specialists will be flying the country’s flag high.
On the other side, when the flag bearers are down with ailments, the government keeps their distance and would sometimes come to the funerals, to address for political mileage.
One such person who died in a pauper status, was Striker Ndlovu, a veteran boxing mentor who was bedridden for a long time without any assistance from the government or any of his subjects, he trained, let alone little help from the local sports organisations.
The once vibrant and powerful physically built boxing trainer, succumbed to prostate gland enlargement after he desperately failed to raise the needed medical fees amounting to USD $1000, which was required for his permanent catheter insertion cure.
Striker has been suffering from this illness (prostate gland enlargement) which has also resulted in kidney failure and a neurologist advised him to undergo kidney dialysis, however his health deteriorated, as not even the boxing unions or associations came to his rescue, regardless of several media coverage.
The now late former boxing coach was in desperate need of urgent assistance, but that never came, as his savings from his previous earnings, was swallowed by the country’s prowling inflation, and also neglect from the Ministry of Sports that is only active, when someone is raising the flag, but fail to look after their welfare in times of needy.
Below are his sentiments, when he was interviewed by Choice News Africa.
“My situation is very bad as we speak because medical doctors said my condition needs urgent solution that they call medical recovery.
I am looking for donations that can help me to pay for the treatment of this predicament, “pleaded Striker.
Striker depended on sport (boxing) to fend for himself but after this sickness took its toll on him, he became physically unable to practice his sport hence had no longer has any source of income. The former boxing trainer was living a, life of a beggar as he was even appealing for food and clothes.
“I live the life of a vagrant now. I have been struggling to walk in the streets to beg for food, clothes and money from well-wishers, as no one is coming to my rescue. I now live on handouts as l am no longer capable of fending for myself since I am bedridden,” said Striker in tears.
His niece, who has been looking after him, and preferred to be identified as Madawu in an interview with Choice News Africa revealed that her uncle Striker, has been suffering a lot from that ailment and that it drained everything from his savings, hence they were pleading for donations to raise the sum of $1000 USD that was obligatory for his medical recovery.
She added that Striker was a passionate man who devoted his life to training youths in boxing discipline at Tshaka Boxing Club.
Many have passed through his hands and he has served the community earnestly and now that he is gone, Zimbabwe’s boxing discipline will never be the same without his proficiency and enthusiasm.
This is the time all sports associations and unions must unite and confront the Sports Ministry, to come out clean on whether they only love the fit and health sports people only when they use them as bet for propping the image of the country or that they must also help them in time of needy.
May they rest in eternal peace.
Choicemag 