EX-SPORTS COUNCIL CEO VICTOR COLLAPSES, DIES

MANZINI – Barely hours after the burial of Match Commissioner Mangaliso Sihlongonyane, the sport fraternity is mourning the death of another shrewd sports administrator.

Former Swaziland National Sports Council (now Sport and Recreation) and SOCGA CEO Victor Shabangu collapsed and died at the Nazarene Total Filling Station in Manzini on Saturday afternoon while he was fixing his car tyre.

According to eyewitnesses at the garage, Shabangu, who was 48,  arrived in his vehicle and parked it near the petrol pumps, where he allegedly requested a petrol attendant to assist him sort out the tyre, which had been giving him issues on the day.

collapsed

While near the pumps, Shabangu is alleged to have complained of chest pains. It was then that he reportedly collapsed in full view of other members of the public and employees at the garage.  Shabangu was immediately attended to by the people who were present, mostly fuel attendants. However, it was suspected that he had already died.

All efforts to revive him allegedly failed and he was taken to the nearby Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

One eyewitness said: “He was near the pumps and he complained of chest pains, while a man was trying to get him some water, he had already fallen to the ground.

enquire

“My heart goes out to those who knew the man who died. By the look of things and people who later arrived at the filling station to enquire about the incident, it was clear he was a well known individual in the country,” another witness, a fuel attendant, said yesterday. Coincidentally, his namesake, businessman Victor Gamedze, was shot and also died while at a filling station in Ezulwini, on January 14 this year.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the incident and said the Manzini police were still conducting further investigations.

served

Meanwhile, Shabangu served the country’s sports mother body over 15 years ago. In September 2010, he resigned as the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (SOCGA) Secretary General/CEO.

At SOCGA, he worked with then President Zombodze Magagula, who is now a board member. The latter was shocked when he learnt about the latest developments, saying he only got to hear about the sad news through this publication. Current President Peter Shongwe also said he was yet to learn about the incident.
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