The late Emmanuel Ndumiso Gumede populary known as Gumz, a trained school teacher served Highlanders Football Club in various capacities as chairman, chief executive officer and club president.
He also held a number of posts at the Zimbabwe Football Association(ZIFA).
Gumede was born on 14 October 1945 in Bulawayo, he grew up in Mzilikazi’s R Square and did his education at a number of schools namely Matshetshe, Gwayi and Inyathi before completing his secondary education at the Bulawayo African Secondary School.
Between 1966 and 1968, he underwent teacher training at Gweru Teachers College (GTC), a period which was followed by deployment to Harare’s Highfields Secondary school, teaching there between 1966 and 1975.
Gumz always credited his role as Sport Master at Highfields for the love of sport as he enrolled for a referees’ curse, becoming one of the very few teachers to attain the qualification then.
After seven years at Highfields Secondary School, Gumede left for Mzilikazi High School, eMgandane, in 1975, a school famous for producing some of Highlanders Football Club’s greatest sons.
It is at Mzilikazi High School that he nurtured his love for football, enrolling for more referee courses, including senior ones, eventually being mentored by the legendary Paul Pretorius and Godfrey Kandawasvika.
Gumede’s first involvement with Highlanders Football Club was before his relocation to Bulawayo, during his stint in Harare, then Salisbury.
He was the club’s representative in Harare in 1974.
On his return to Bulawayo, Gumede formed part Bosso’s Finance Committee before taking over as Chairperson in 1978, a position he took over from Landcut Gumbo.
His sterling contribution to the growth of Highlanders Football Club between 1978 and Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 resulted in him being appointed by then Sports Minister Joyce Mujuru in the country’s first ever Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) board as a committee member.
He served ZIFA from 1980 to 1983.
All along he was steward of Highlanders Football Club with his chairmanship overseeing the purchase of three properties in Bulawayo that stand to this day.
He acquired the club’s offices along Robert Mugabe Way in 1986, a a camping house in Luveve and then secured Highlanders’ Club House the next year at what used to be the Queens Sports Club Bowls section.
By that time ZIFA administration was in shambles so after long, winding national tours by late president Canaan Banana (then ZIFA patron) on how its challenges were to be fixed, Gumede was once again called in.
A meeting was called and elections held at the National Sports Stadium in Harare where Gumede was voted in as vice chairperson, working with chairman Nelson Chirwa.
In 1991 he became ZIFA secretary before leaving for Botswana where his skills were put into use at Notwane Football Club which had been run like a Boozers’ outfit before he put his experience into practice with assistance from Lawrence Phiri.
They assisted the club to draw up its first constitution.
In 1998, Gumede once again made a return to ZIFA, coming in as the association’s first ever Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
His last role at the national institution was in 2010 as vice president, an election he defeated current Premier Soccer League (PSL) CEO Kennedy Ndebele.
Gumede is on recording saying that win was painful to bear as he had seen Ndebele rise through the ranks of Highlanders Football Club and wished well for him.
In 2014 he returned to Bosso as CEO, a position he held until 2016. In 2019 he was appointed Highlanders President, a ceremonial position he held as a result of his immense contribution to the club in his over 40 years of its administration.
Apart from football, Gumede had always been interested in drama. While in Harare he got involved in radio dramas written by Harry Nleya and Amon Nyamambi, this then gave him a big break, landing him a role in Xola by Busi Dlodlo.
He also featured on local blockbuster Yellow Card and epic drama Cry Freedom directed and produced by Richard Attenborough.
Gumede is survived by three sons; two from his first marriage to Muriel Hlazo between 1973 and 1987, one from his second wife Virginia Ntuli and a daughter he was blessed with during his stay in Harare.
Mathias Dube and Minenhle Tshuma.