The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HE served Highlanders Football Club with distinction from the 1970s until his death at the age of 76 last Wednesday, yet one of Ndumiso Gumede’s wishes was to be alive when Bosso turn 100 years old.
Alas, the man known as Gumz or Yours Truly did not live long enough to see his beloved Highlanders become a century old.
In a tell-all interview we did with the now late Gumede at the beginning of last year, the now departed man expressed his wish to witness Bosso’s centenary celebrations in 2026.
“I wish God can keep me for the next five years so I can see Highlanders turn 100 years old,’’ said Gumede in April.
Sadly, the Lord decided that his time in this world was up around lunchtime on Wednesday when he breathed his last at Mpilo Central Hospital.
His death came as a shock to the football fraternity and the whole nation.
Gumede was his usual jovial character when Highlanders sons and daughters decided to honour him for his 48 years of service to the world’s most beautiful game at the beginning of December.
He even danced to the late Hugh Masekela’s song Happy Mama with his sister Cephekhulu Fuyane.
The man was born 19 years, at the conclusion of the Second World War to be precise after Highlanders were founded in 1926 by Albert and Rhodes, two of King Lobengula’s grandsons, who were sons of Njube.
He grew up in Mzilikazi’s R square, a short distance from Barbourfields Stadium, the home of Highlanders.
Gumede’s love affair with Highlanders was evident till the day he died.
He started off as the Highlanders representative in the then Salisbury (now Harare) in the 1970s when he was a teacher at Highfields High School.
When he returned to Bulawayo, Gumede became Highlanders chairman in 1978, a position he relinquished in 1980 when he was appointed to the Zimbabwe Football Association board.
Because of the way he was treated when time for Zifa elections came, Gumede wanted nothing to do with football administration until he was persuaded by the late Vice -President, Joshua Nkomo to step in when Malcolm King quit his post as Highlanders chairman.
Gumede told this publication how the late Vice-President summoned him to his Pelandaba home to ask him why he was turning down the Highlanders chairmanship when people wanted him to take up the position.
Under Gumede’s chairmanship in 1986, Highlanders swept everything that came their way except the league title which that year was won by their rivals, Dynamos. Bosso, who were coached by Barry Daka in 1986 won the Independence Trophy, Castle Cup, Rothmans Shield, BAT Rose Bowl, Natbrew Cup, Africa Day Cup, Heroes Cup the Chibuku Cup.
It was during that successful year that Lovemore Majaivana decided to dedicate a song to Highlanders, with Gumede mentioned in that hit “Badlala Njani”.
“Ndumiso Gumede kala mathambo, ubaphethe njani engela mathambo (Ndumiso Gumede has no bones, how is the handling things without bones),’’ sang Majaivana.
After that success of 1986, Highlanders the following year acquired three properties, the clubhouse, offices on Robert Mugabe Way and the camping house in Luveve.
Sakunda Holdings, the Highlanders main sponsors in October announced that they will be renovating the Highlanders offices in honour of Gumede.
“One of the things that I will start looking at is umdala uGumede, that you have managed to get these people a nice office and as a gift to you, I was looking at this place and how dilapidated it is, so as a gesture of what you did for Highlanders, we are going to fix it for you,’’ announced Sakunda Holdings CEO Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
Gumede served as Highlanders Chief Executive Officer from 2014 until the end of 2016.
Three years after his retirement as the head of the Bosso secretariat, Gumede was appointed as the Highlanders president.
His role, while it was more ceremonial was to provide direction to the club leadership whenever they needed wise counsel.
Besides seeing Highlanders turn 100 years old, Gumede also wanted to see Bosso improve on their stature with success at continental level.
The man believed that Highlanders are at the same level as other African giants such as TP Mazembe, Enyimba, Al Ahly and Al Hilal.
With financial backing from Sakunda Holdings, Highlanders might be able to compete with the other big teams in Africa. Bosso could in future possible finally bring an end to their championship drought.
Sadly, whatever happens in future, Gumede, the man whose name is forever linked to Highlanders will not be able to witness all that.
Gumede wanted to be remembered by generations to come as a simple school teacher who loved sport.
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