By Ntokozo Magongo
The cruel hands of death have struck again in the football family. Just hours after steering his side, Ubombo Flyers to a 3-1 victory over Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows, defender Phumlani Masango was stabbed to death. He was among the longest-serving players for the team, having joined the sugar-belt side in the 2013/14 season from Hot Chillies.
Flyers played Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows in a National First Division league clash at Tambankulu Stadium on Saturday in what turned out to be his last performance for his beloved club. The chilling incident that has left the football fraternity in shock occurred on Saturday evening, hours after the game where the talented defender is said to have been stabbed with a sharp object several times and succumbed to death at a new popular nightclub at KaLanga, just outside Siteki.
The club Manager Thami Masango confirmed that they woke up on Sunday morning to the sad news which had spread like wildfire on social media platforms. He said they were still reeling in shock. “It is true that we lost one of our players in a very painful manner.
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He was part of the team that played Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows on Saturday after lunch only to get the sad news the following day,” he said. Masango said funeral details would be released during the week as they were still trying to come to terms with the unfortunate incident.
Masango added that he was among the most disciplined players and long-serving in the club. This is not the first tragedy to strike the club this season. The team also lost Simanga Mbaya Kutsemba who was found dead in his house in August this year.
The team wrote on their official Facebook page: “Sad news. On behalf of Ubombo Flyers Football Club, we sadly announce the passing of our player Phumlani Masango #14. The team is lost for words on his tragic death. RIP Nkhabanhle. We will always love you mfowethu,” reads the message in part.