30 December 2021
Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Bulawayo – The Zimbabwean football fraternity and Bulawayo in particular has been robbed of a renowned administrator and a leader.
Ndumiso Emmanuel Gumede has died.
He was 76.
Gumede died at Mpilo Central Hospital where he was readmitted for a kidney ailment Zim GBC News was informed.
Sources said that Gumede was rushed to the Hospital on Tuesday night with suspected kidney infection, but he disagreed with medical staff on the diagnosis, thus was not admitted then.
“His condition got worse overnight and he was rushed back this morning (Wednesday) but unfortunately he couldn’t make it,” the source said.
Gumede attended a ceremony that had been hosted in his honour at the Highlanders Club House on Unity Day, 22 December.
Gumede got involved in sport as early as 1969 when he was the sports master of Highfield Secondary School, in Harare. It is at the time that he became Highlanders FC Harare representative.
In 1975 he moved back to Bulawayo where he was part of Mzilikazi High School sporting activities as a fundraiser.
He took the helm at Bosso in 1978 as he was voted Chairman. He was instrumental in returning the club to the top flight Super League.
As an administrator, Gumede held several high profile portfolios such as ZIFA CEO, ZIFA Vice Chairman, ZIFA Secretary General as well as CAF Appeals Committee.
Highlanders CEO Nhlanhla Dube had this to say on the death of Gumede,
“I’m absolutely shattered. Gumede taught me everything there is to know about football administration. I had the privilege of spending a lot of time with him and traveling with him when we both worked and lived in Harare. He became both father and friend to the very end.
“His contribution to club, national and regional football can only be described as iconic. The many friends he has in football across many spectra bears testimony to his larger-than-life character and indelible effect on whomever he came into close touch with.”
The late Gumede was also known as Gumz, is credited with acquiring the club offices, the Sports club, and the camping house in Luveve suburb.
In recent times he was credited with assisting in exposing the Asiagate scandal which became the largest match fixing scandal to rock Zimbabwe’s football fraternity.
Gumede was a divorcee, having been married twice.
He is survived with four children, twin boys from his first marriage, another son from his second marriage and a girl from a relationship he had with a woman in Harare.
The country has been robbed of a football hero.
May his dearly departed soul rest in peace.