The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
EVERY time the name Tymon Mabaleka is mentioned, many will remember the late footballer as a man of excellence, who mesmerised Highlanders fans with his great skills, while the songs he produced in the studio are still a great melody even up to this day.
It could not have been coincidental that a documentary that chronicles the life of the former Bosso legend and renowned music producer was titled “Tymon Mabaleka: A man of all Seasons”.
The documentary, which is set to première on April 25, tells the story of how Mabaleka fought adversity from a disadvantaged background in the then-war-torn small district of Umzingwane in Matabeleland South during the liberation struggle to become a renowned football great and excellent music producer.
Mabaleka passed away in 2014 at the age of 64.
He is renowned for his works in the country’s music history, having worked with the greatest musicians to ever come out of Zimbabwe, including the late Oliver Mtukudzi; the late James Chimombe; the late John Chibadura; the late Solomon Skuza; Lovemore Majaivana; Ebony Sheikh; The Frontline Kids; Shepherd Chinyani and the Vhuka Boys; Leonard Zhakata; The Essentials; Kassongo Band; and the Zimbabwe People’s Band. While the music he worked on is still telling the story of how great a producer he was, the football story seemed to have died with him a decade ago.
However, the documentary seeks to provide what seems to have been the missing link in the story of Mabaleka. It presents the untold football story of the former Highlanders great.
The documentary, produced by Albert Chawandamira, features former football players, administrators, Highlanders supporters and musicians.
The featured characters describe Mabaleka as a multi-skilled and multi-talented person.
Among those who tell the story of Mabaleka are Modern Ngwenya, Ndumiso Gumede, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Peter Ndlovu, Bruce Grobbelaar, Sunday Chidzambwa and Albert Nyathi. Former Highlanders club vice-chairperson Ngwenya describes Mabaleka as a larger-than-life figure.
“We are talking about a larger-than-life character, a luminary, a hero in many spheres, a barometer in which multi-skilled is measured,” said Ngwenya.
These sentiments were echoed by one of the greatest players to ever emerge from Zimbabwe, the late George Shaya, who described Mabaleka as one of the greatest players this country had.
“He was ever smiling, a player who never got overwhelmed by the support he got when you played Highlanders in Bulawayo,” said Shaya in the documentary. “He was a very good player, a good man.”
Born in Nswazi, Umzingwane District, Mabaleka rose to become one of the greatest players to play for Highlanders.
He joined Highlanders in 1973, before helping the Bulawayo giants to win the Chibuku Cup.
Mabaleka was gifted with great controlling skills and those he played with bear witness to that in the documentary.
His former teammate in the South Zone, Greg Fassen, is of the belief that the former Highlanders great was a victim of the colonial rule, as he could have made a big name for himself and the country had he played after independence.
“I think that Tymon was born at the wrong time and he was at the wrong place, unfortunately,” he said. “If you think of people like Peter Ndlovu, who had a chance to go overseas, Bruce Grobbelaar, I think Tymon would have graced many stages overseas.
“But because of the war and the time he found himself in, he showed his talent to half of the country because there was no one to play against because of the isolation.
“Tymon was one player that never got a chance to showcase his talent at a bigger stage and if there is one person who missed in that era, I do believe it is Tymon.”
