The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
THE desire to watch her son wearing the new Nike boots she had just bought in South Africa almost claimed the life of Shylet Tinonetsana, the mother of Dynamos striker King Nasama. Tinonetsana escaped death by a whisker in the accident that claimed the lives of eight DeMbare supporters in Battlefields last Saturday as a journey to Gweru to watch their team play ended tragically. Instead of being at Ascot, watching her boy in action, Tinonetsana spent Saturday afternoon at Kwekwe General Hospital fighting for life.
Romours that she was among the seven fans who perished on the spot got to Nasama just an hour before kickoff, but the DeMbare rookie decided to play on. “You know, there are times when one feels people are avoiding telling you something and last Saturday was one of those times,” said the 18-year-old striker.
“My mum had told me that she would be travelling to Gweru to watch our game against Chapungu and when news filtered through that our supporters had died in an accident I was naturally worried.
“Team mates and club officials looked a bit uneasy around me because they had also heard that my mum had died. Then someone sent a text message telling me that my mother had died in the accident. It was around 2pm but I decided to go on and play because one this was not confirmed yet and two because I thought playing would have been the best way to honour my mother.
“While on the pitch I kept checking in the stands for her and I couldn’t see her but I kept on pushing and scored my first goal for the club. “After the game a friend called and said he has just heard on radio that my mother had passed on and I broke down. However, a few minutes later Phillip Chiyangwa called to assure me that she was alive and words cannot capture the relief.”
After scoring the winner in the 2-1 win over Chapungu the striker is set to start for DeMbare this afternoon when they face Ngezi Platinum at Rufaro. Nasama hopes his new boots will bring goals, goals and more goals.
“I have the new orange boots now, they mean a lot to me. I have an emotional attachment to them because my mother nearly died trying to deliver them to me,” he said.“As she recovers from the injuries sustained in that accident I believe the best way to bring a smile back to her face is to score so many goals while wearing these boots.”
DeMbare assistant coach Murape Murape believes Nasama, a Dynamos juniors’ product, is headed for the stars. “King is an exciting prospect for the club and the way he handled himself last Saturday showed that he has a big heart and as you know this club has a history of churning out such players.
“Scoring his first goal against Chapungu must have done his confidence a world of good but I have reminded him that getting the first goal is only the beginning, he needs to continue working hard,” he said.
Fixtures (All matches start at 3pm)
How Mine v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Border Strikers v Chapungu (Dulibadzimu) Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo), Mutare City v Caps United (Sakubva), Dynamos v Ngezi Platinum (Rufaro)
