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Charles Mabika

Special Correspondent

SIMON “Tangwena” Sachiti was a man on a mission, who was trying to bring the factions at Dynamos together, for his beloved Glamour Boys to sing with one voice. 

Sadly, he never got to see his dream come true, after he died at a local hospital in Harare on Saturday morning. 

He was 75. 

Born in Rusape he attended Gandanzara Primary and Secondary schools before coming to the capital, where he secured employment, at a beverage company, which had a non-league football team, called Hubble Bubble. 

He was spotted by some Dynamos officials and was briskly snapped up in 1968 and became an instant hit with the club’s fans. 

He established himself as the first choice left wing back when he replaced Sydney Dick, who had moved to another club. 

He was part of the successful DeMbare all-conquering 1976 side that defeated South Africa’s Orlando Pirates 7-6, in the Southern African Champions of Champions Club final. 

The team swept all the silverware on offer, on the domestic front, except the Chibuku Trophy, after they were edged by Zimbabwe Saints 1-2, in the semi-finals. 

That side included the likes of George “Mastermind” Shaya, Isaac “Musasa” Nhema, Shaw “Kojak” Handriade, Shepherd Murape, Shadreck Ngwenya, Oliver “Flying Saucer” Kateya, David “Broom Boy” George and Kuda Muchemeyi. 

Four years earlier, Sachiti had helped the club carve a niche in the local history books when he was one of six DeMbare players to make it onto the Soccer Stars of the Year finalists calendar. It’s a feat that still has to be matched by any other local club. 

Those “Magnificent Six” players were Shaya, Nhema, Handriade, Sachiti, Daniel “Dhidhidhi” Ncube and club skipper Steven “Faka Simbi” Chimedza. Shaya won the top award with Handriade finishing as the second-runner-up behind Chibuku Shumba’s James “Topsy” Robertson. 

Sachiti’s former lethal partner, along his favourite and productive flank, left winger Ernest Kamba, who won the 1973 Soccer Star of the Year award, described his late colleague as a hardworking team mate, who always preached the unity gospel during and after, his playing career. 

“For me, Tangwena was more than a team-mate, he was also like a brother. Although he wasn’t the team’s captain during our era, he would assist the skipper, who was Faka Simbi (Steven Chimedza), in rallying the troops and making sure that we would never give up when the chips were down,’’ said Kamba. 

“It was the same case in the senior national team where, once again, Steven was the captain and Simon would assist him with the leadership tasks. 

“I recall that, back in 1973, Dynamos had six players in the starting line-up of the then Rhodesia senior national team — Chimedza, Shaya, Sachiti, Ncube, Handriade and myself. 

“We carried on with our brilliant partnership along the left flank with Simon, against formidable touring professional sides, like Scotland’s Kilmarnock, English side Oldham Athletic and retired English professionals John Charles XI and we beat them. 

“Such was the intense determination and guile that our squad had.” 

And true to form, those leadership qualities were later revealed after Sachiti prematurely hung up his boots in 1978, following a nagging ankle injury. For nearly four decades, Sachiti would hold the different posts of vice-chairman, secretary-general, treasurer, committee member and board member at DeMbare. 

He also earned a second nickname during his retirement: “Baba Charle” after one of his grandsons, named Charles (surprisingly not “Sekuru vaCharle”). 

Rival clubs always accused Sachiti of being responsible for their defeat at the hands of Dynamos because they claimed he would have cast an evil spell upon them.

All these accusations always resulted in “Baba Charle” going into endless bouts of laughter and he said he used those outrageous beliefs, to his advantage. 

He once told me that some rival team officials and even players would refuse to shake hands with him, before a match, in fear of the alleged evil spells. 

“Sports teams should know that the only and true “juju” to success, on the pitch, is serious training and listening to the coaches’ instructions,’’ he said. 

“Juju’ only exists in the minds of those who don’t want to work hard.” 

Sachiti was hurt by the divisions at his beloved club. His first born son, Felix, said the family had lost a great advisor, leader and humorous figure, who would never be replaced. “What really hurts is that his death was so sudden. He just started feeling sick on Thursday, and we rushed him to hospital, expecting a quick recovery. 

“But, two days later, he was gone. It’s just so unbearable for all of us,” he said. 

Felix also revealed his father’s body will be taken from Harare today to be laid to rest tomorrow at their rural home in Gandanzara, Rusape. 

Sachiti is survived by his wife Agnes, six children and several grandchildren. 

Mourners are gathered at No. 523, Tashingirira Street, New Marimba.