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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter

ICONIC footballer, George Shaya, who died in Harare on Tuesday, has been given a State-assisted funeral.

He will be buried on Saturday at Warren Hills.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, conveyed the message to the Shaya family, yesterday.

“First of all, I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the Shaya family, following the passing on of the great George Shaya,” said Coventry.

“He is one of the greatest sportspersons to have emerged from this country.

“Government has, therefore, accorded him a state-assisted funeral.

“His death is not only a blow to the Shaya family, but to Zimbabwe, as a whole.

“The history of the game will be amiss without the mention of his name.”

Coventry, who was accompanied by her deputy, Tino Machakaire, also took time to  chat with the legends, who were in attendance.

They included Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzambwa, John “JP” Phiri, Raphael Kaondera, Stewart “Shutto” Murisa, David George and George Nechironga.

On Tuesday, Dynamos appealed to authorities to consider honouring Shaya with national hero status.

The legendary football star, who won the Soccer Star of the Year award five times, is widely considered the greatest Zimbabwean footballer of all-time.

He has battled diabetes and dementia, in recent years. “Dynamos has written to ZIFA seeking facilitation of conferment of national hero status on the late George ‘Mastermind’ Shaya, who passed on yesterday,’’ the club said in a statement.

“The request for national  hero status is premised on George Shaya representing the rise of black national consciousness, and nationalism through his football genius, artistry and prowess, during his playing days, spanning 1968 to late ‘70s.

“He was part of the black generation that used football to express their wish for self-determination, racial parity, justice and independence, during the Unilateral Declaration of Independence era, in Rhodesia.

“Shaya demonstrated that blacks were not as inferior, to their white compatriots, as portrayed by the Rhodesia Front government, by getting a national call-up into the Rhodesia national football team that played Australia in 1969, in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.’’

Machakaire proposed that a knockout tournament, in honour of the late Shaya, be organised.

“It will be great if we can organise an annual tournament in honour of the fallen legend. I have been here (George Shaya home) several times, assisting the legend. 

“I am saddened by the death of this legend. He gave us reason to believe in our abilities as Zimbabweans. 

“He was a very good player, one of the best to ever play football in this country.

“We are proposing that an annual trophy, named after the legend, be introduced in this country.

“We will sit down and see how best we can do it but we certainly have to do it.  All legends deserve respect and we are looking at how best we can assist them.”

Meanwhile, Machakaire has revealed the Sports Ministry have made a special appeal to the authorities to allow football to be played.

“We know that most of you are football coaches. We know your plight. We also want to see the game being played in the country,” said Machakaire.

“Just today, we pleaded with the authorities to consider giving the game the greenlight to restart, on the back of encouraging Covid-19 vaccination statistics, amongst the stakeholders.

“Over 90 percent of the stakeholders, including players, have been inoculated and that’s very encouraging.

“We are confident that football will be allowed back in the not-so-distant future.

“We are basing our optimism on the back of the vaccination statistics. We are also encouraging those who haven’t been vaccinated to do so.”