ZIMBABWE CRICKET has lost national senior women’s team and girls Under 19 assistant coach Sinikiwe Gava “Sneeze” Mpofu barely a month after the death of her husband, Shepherd Tichaendepi Makunura.
She was 37 and turning 38 next month. Mpofu has survived by two sons, Farrel, going into form 2 and Tyrese, a Grade 4 pupil.
Makunura, a Chevrons’ fielding coach and Southern Rocks gaffer at the time of his death, passed away at a private hospital in Harare on 15 December after a long illness.
He was buried at Warren Hills.
Mpofu, a former Lady Chevrons international player-cum-assistant tried to pick up the pieces after the death of her husband.
ZC granted her compassionate leave to mourn the death of her husband. The association excused her from duty with the U-19 girls’ team currently in South Africa for the U-19 World Cup.
ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said, “it’s a tragedy.” At the same time, former Lady Chevrons assistant coach Leonard Nhumburo who is now Rwanda ladies cricket team head coach and also in South Africa with the U19s, added, “I was alerted by cries from the Zimbabwe players’ hotel rooms only to find out about the sad developments, my deepest condolences.”
The late Makunura’s brother, Jonah, said the family is still shocked and devastated.
“I travelled with them to Masvingo on the 26th (of December) and came back on the 31st. She (Mpofu) was complaining about gall (nyongo). She was supposed to travel today to take her eldest son back to school, and he’s at Wise Owl,” Jonah told EnterSportNews.
“She was with our nephew Tapiwa who phoned early morning advising us that she had collapsed. We asked him to take her to the hospital immediately, but sadly, she was pronounced dead on arrival.
“This is too much for us, and I don’t think we can handle this. We don’t know what hit us. We are just confused, and we are devastated. God has deserted us.”
Mourners are expected to gather at her in-laws’ home in Budiriro. Funeral arrangements are to be advised in due course.
