The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Bureau
SPORTS, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister Makhosini Hlongwane has paid tribute to Zimpapers Group sports correspondent Paul Mundandi who passed away on Thursday in Zvishavane.
Mundandi passed away at the age of 47 at Zvishavane District Hospital. Minister Hlongwane described Mundandi as versatile, hard-working and experienced journalist.
“We have learnt with shock and deep sadness the passing of sports writer, Paul Mundandi. He was a likeable character and a guy who was versatile with the pen and knew how to approach his work, very adaptive to different working environments. He operated in Harare, Zvishavane and other far flung areas of our community. This is a huge loss to the entire sports and recreation movement and a much bigger loss to the football community. I want to extend my most sincere and profound condolences to the Mundandi family, The Zimpapers Group and the sports journalism fraternity as a whole,” he said.
Mundandi died at Zvishavane District Hospital on Friday following a short illness and his family has since requested for a post-mortem. Mundandi was born in Chiweshe in 1970. He enrolled for Grade 1 at Kanhukamwe Primary School in 1977 and later transferred to St Nicholas Primary School in Mahusekwa near Marondera where he completed his primary education.
He did his secondary education at Mahusekwa Secondary School and completed O-Level in 1987. He did A-Level through correspondence. He joined copper miners Mhangura as a trainee geologist where he showed an interest in sports reporting and became a correspondent for Zimpapers and ZBC radio stations. Mundandi wrote extensively about now defunct former Premiership side Mhangura.
He left Mhangura for Shabanie Mine in Zvishavane in 1999 and worked for the asbestos miners while stringing for Zimpapers’ publications and the national broadcaster. Mundandi later became a full-time correspondent for Zimpapers’ publications Chronicle, The Herald, The Sunday Mail, Sunday News, B-Metro and H-Metro. His mother Naume Kamuruko-Mundandi said her son’s death came as a shock to the family.
“It’s sad that my son had to pass away after a short illness. I am at a loss for words over his death and it’s difficult for me to explain what happened,” Kamuruko-Mundandi said.
Mourners are gathered at 4997 Budiriro 3 in Harare. Mundandi will be buried at Zororo Cemetery near Chitungwiza today. He leaves behind a four-year-old daughter, Taonga Mercy.
