By Staff Reporter
The late football veteran Butler Masango who died at a local Hospital in South Africa on Sunday the 9th of May after a short illness had a memorial church service held yesterday with friends and family accorded the opportunity to pay their last respect.
The service was held at Zororo – Phumulani, a repatriation and funeral service provider based in South Africa.
The former Caps United and Warriors player succumbed to an illness associated with heart failure and lung capacity issues.
The colorful event which was run under the theme “Home Going Service was attended by fellow football legends Ian Gorowa, Charles Yohane and Alexander Maseko who took turns to reflect on Masango’s life.
It was held ahead of his repatriation from South Africa to Zimbabwe where he will be laid to rest. Although he had retired from playing football by the time of his death, Masango remained in touch with the beautiful game as he was running a football academy in South Africa, and scouted for football giants like Kaizer Chiefs among others.
He was also the manager of several players including Warriors midfielder Thabani Kamusoko. Zororo Phumulani, a subsidiary of Doves Holdings which passionately honors and regularly recognise soccer legends will take charge of the repatriation process of Masango on 14 May and hand over his body to Doves Holding which will undertake the burial process at his village in Mupandanyama, Chiweshe.
Speaking before the service, the Acting Director of Zororo – Phumulani Mrs Robertta Mutimbiri said the soccer family has been robbed of one of the most intelligent brains in football who contributed immensely towards the development of the game.
“We are saddened by the passing on of Butler.
As a company, we saw it fit to honor him by organizing this memorial church service. We believe that a person like Butler whose contribution to football development was immense deserved to have such a service in his honor.
As a company that is still in touch with yester – year soccer legends, we shall continue to play our part in giving them the befitting honor they deserve,” said Mutimbiri.
It is not the first time that the two companies have remembered the country’s football legends as they previously honored Dynamos legend George Shaya with a Life Time Achievers Award at the Zim Achievers Award Ceremony held last year in South Africa, and hosted a lavish party for his 77th Birthday at his home in Harare.
