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Sports Reporter

FORMER Highlanders chairman, Malcolm King, died yesterday in Cape Town, South Africa.

Highlanders president Ndumiso Gumede said King, who served as Bosso chairman in 1984, contributed a lot to the club’s “professionalism”.

King  and Vick Naik were the only non-black Bosso chairmen. 

“King has passed on but I don’t have many details about his death. He served as my vice-chairman until he took over the chairman’s position in 1984. He was supposed to hold the position for two years but he quit before the end of 1984 and relocated to South Africa. I was then asked by former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo to complete King’s term after I had left the club,” said Gumede.

He said King operated a commuter omnibus business and his kombis were plied the Bulawayo-Johannesburg route.

Gumede said King used to avail his vehicles to transport Highlanders for away games.

“He used to run Khatshana Taxis and back then we didn’t have a reliable bus service so he would avail his kombis to the team. King had a twin brother based in Hong Kong who also helped the club. 

“Back then, Highlanders had a number of non-white members, who included Illan Elkaim, who facilitated scholarships to America for some of our boys like Methembe Ndlovu,” Gumede said.

He said King was a close friend of another former Highlanders chairman, Roger Muhlwa.