State Media

SOUTHERN Region Division One League side Ajax Hotspurs’ former player and juniors’ coach Zibusiso Sitsha died on Sunday morning after being crushed by a boulder at his sister’s mine in Hope Fountain.

He was 33.

Siphambaniso Dube, the Ajax Hotspurs founder and director, confirmed his coach’s tragic death yesterday and said Sitsha was with a fellow worker at the mine when disaster struck. His colleague survived and is now battling for his life at a Bulawayo hospital.

“Sad news for Ajax Hotspurs Football Club as we have lost a former player and current juniors coach Zibusiso Zingo Sitsha. He passed on after boulders fell on him and a fellow worker at his sister’s mine in Hope Fountain. Chrispen Machisi broke the sad news to me after I had just arrived from Nkayi,” said Dube.

Zibusiso was one of three Sitsha brothers that donned the Ajax Hotspurs jersey with Qinisani Moeti, who was a goalkeeper and now the goalkeepers’ coach, as well as Langelihle Mangenje.

Dube said mourners are gathered at Block 26 in Mpopoma suburb, adding that funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Sitsha becomes the third lower tier league footballer to die in an accident in less than a week after two players from Victoria Falls-based team Elson Mathe and Thamsanqa Ncube drowned in the Zambezi River on Friday.

Their bodies were recovered on Sunday after a two-day search.