HIGHLANDERS chief executive officer Sihlangu Dlodlo, who was found dead at his Nketa home, has been honoured by the Bulawayo City Council and will be buried at the Lady Stanley Cemetery.
His family was set to meet late yesterday to finalise on the date, but developments were pointing to the funeral taking place tomorrow.
Bulawayo city councillors, including mayor David Coltart, went to Dlodlo's Mahatshula home to pay their last respects and confirmed that because of his immense contribution to the city, the administrator will be interred at Lady Stanley Cemetery, where other city luminaries are buried.
The Bulawayo City Council has offered the Bulawayo Amphitheatre for the service after which burial will take place.
Dlodlo, who was 60, was found dead at his other house in Nketa 9 on Monday evening and the family chose not to share post-mortem results. He had posted an unnerving message on social media on October 16, foretelling his death.
After his body was recovered, his followers and colleagues were left wondering if the footbal administrator had committed suicide or had succumbed to natural causes.
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Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, who is the deputy mayor of the City of Kings and Queens, confirmed Dlodlo’s status.
“As the City of Bulawayo, we are saddened by the passing on of Sihlangu Dlodlo, a man who worked hard for the city and the nation at large,” he said.
“He was in the arts industry as an actor and a playwright and a comedian as well. He was a marketing executive, who worked for big companies in Zimbabwe, worked for funeral service companies and at the time of his passing, he was Highlanders Football Club chief executive officer.”
Ndlovu added that Dlodlo worked hard for the development of Bulawayo.
“As the City of Bulwayo, we saw it fit to give the big honour that we bestow on the city heroes that he be buried at the Lady Stanley Cemetery and that his final service be held at the Amphitheatre before burial. We are disappointed and saddened as the city, but we accept as the will of God,” the deputy mayor said.
Dlodlo is survived by his wife, Nokuthula, two sons and a daughter, who are based in the United Kingdom.
His wife is already in the country and the children are expected in today ahead of the burial.