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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

IT’S been a Black August for domestic sport.

Veteran sports journalist, Wellington Toni, who had been unwell for some time, died on admission at a Harare hospital on Thursday night.

He was 44 and he leaves behind two sons.

Close family members said funeral arrangements will be advised in due course but mourners are gathered at House number 2356, Emakhandeni, in Bulawayo.

His death comes just as the industry has been trying to come to terms with the death of Prince Kadewere, Chris Sambo and former Dynamos chairman, Phillip Mugadza.

The ZIFA Southern Region were also plunged into mourning yesterday following the death of office administrator, Deliwe Kamoyo.

“This has turned out to be a black month for sport, and football, in particular,” said veteran commentator, Charles Mabika.

“It’s a black August, I don’t recall a month when we had lost so many people who were passionate about football, in separate and unrelated incidents, like this.’’

Toni started his career as a junior reporter at Chronicle and rose to become Deputy Sports Editor, working under Lovemore Dube.

He was later promoted to become Sunday News Sports Editor, taking over from Nkosinathi Baleni.

He then left Zimpapers to become Sports Editor of News Day.

At the time of his death, he was working for a number of stables. Mabika said

“It’s a great loss to the sports fraternity in general, and sports journalism, in particular,’’ said Mabika.

‘’Toni was still a young man and I believe he still had a lot to offer in the field. He is the kind of guy who knew his stuff well.

“Every time we sat down, to talk about football, especially the yesteryear games and players, he was very passionate about that.

“I always enjoyed exchanging notes with him.

“He was also a guy who did not hesitate to say what was going wrong with our sport and would go on to write about it. My heart is still bleeding.’’

Former Chronicle editor, Dube, described Toni as a principled journalist.

“Toni joined us at Chronicle Sports Desk as an intern when we were under the stewardship of Shaun Orange, with Clemence Marijeni and Limukani Ncube.

“After he completed his Mass Communication diploma, I urged him to come on board and stay as a stringer.

“Eventually, when Orange left for Malaysia, we had a vacancy for him, as Marijeni was promoted to Sports Editor.

“He rose through the ranks to deputise me on the desk,” said Dube.

Another journalist, Simba Rushwaya, who worked with Toni at Newsday, said he was shocked by the sad news.

“I had to double check the sad news… It’s not easy losing someone you shared emotional, and professional life with, for years.

“Toni was forthright and a firebrand.’’

Centre for African Journalists News Africa group chief executive, Savious-Parker Kwinika, expressed shock at the death of Toni, who had joined their ITNews Zimbabwe in December last year.

“Toni was a brother, a caring family man and, most importantly, a professional journalist, who served ITNews Zimbabwe with distinction.

“Toni’s death left us poorer as a company . . . death has robbed us of an asset, a true gentleman,” Kwinika said from Johannesburg

The Sportswriters Association of Zimbabwe also paid tribute.

ZIFA and Premier Soccer League also sent their condolences to the family.