It is no exaggeration to say that, without Tymon Mabaleka, our music industry would not be where it is today. No-one summed this up better than hit-maker Leonard Zhakata, one of the icons whose music was mastered by Mabaleka at the Zimbabwe Music Corporation.
“We have lost a giant. He was a dedicated producer who liked his music 24 hours a day. He spent a lot of time trying to perfect one’s music, and his name will live as long as music lives in Zimbabwe,” said Zhakata, who churned out hit after hit with ZMC in the mid-1990s. This is a tribute to the unbelievable qualities of the man who not only was a music producer par excellence at both Gramma and the Zimbabwe Music Corporation, but was also a great footballer. It is not easy these days to have a footballer who combined talents to such an extent that when he quit football he had another profession to rely on for himself and his family’s survival. “He was an exceptionally brilliant producer. He was an inspiration to all of us. He helped a lot of people and we will all miss the sacrifice he made,” said sungura music guru, Somandla Ndebele, popularly known as Mafia. Mabaleka worked on the music of such internationally-renowned legends as Oliver Mtukudzi, Lovemore Majaivana, John Chibadura, Simon Chimbetu, Solomon Skhuza, James Chimombe, Zhakata and Ebony Sheiks. Popularly known as Whitehorse during his playing days, he featured for Highlanders between 1972 and 1982, winning the 1973 Chibuku Trophy after overcoming Mhangura. He featured alongside the legendary Bruce Grobbelaar, who went on to play in the English Premiership with Liverpool.
Former Highlanders chairman and current Chief Executive Officer Ndumiso Gumede added his voice to the tributes: “Highlanders are great because of people like Tymon. He helped a lot in building the team and the Highlanders family what it is today. Unfortunately, we could not use him in our projects because of the high demands of his job in Harare.” Former Caps United goalkeeper Steven Chisango, who played against Mabaleka during his days at Makepekepe, described him as a hard working midfielder who played clean football. “He was an example of fine footballing gentleman on and off the field of play,” said Chisango. He was different from past football greats, some of whom turned destitute after their playing careers ended and survived on begging or less paying coaching jobs. Mabaleka, who was the second born in a family of nine, was 65 at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife Josephine, and three children. Burial arrangements are still to be announced.