Highlanders Football Club has honoured its founding family, the Khumalos, by donating a tombstone for Prince Albert Njube Khumalo as the Bulawayo club marks its centenary.
The tombstone will be erected at Prince Albert’s grave in Gwatemba on 14 November 2026, in recognition of his role in establishing the club alongside his brother, Rhodes, in 1926.
The brothers founded the club in Makokoba township, Bulawayo, under the name Lions Football Club, with the aim of unifying the Mthwakazi nation.
It was renamed Matabeleland Highlanders in 1936 before eventually becoming known as Highlanders Football Club.
On this topic
Family spokesperson Prince Dr Peter Zwide Khumalo said the donation was a welcome recognition of the family’s historical contribution to the club.
“Albert and his brother Rhodes, children of Njube, both played for the first team of Highlanders in 1926 with the aim of unifying the Mthwakazi nation. To date, Highlanders remains the team of the nation,” he said.
He said the family appreciated the gesture as the club celebrated its 100th anniversary.
“As a family we applaud the team for turning 100 years old,” said Khumalo.
Highlanders chief executive officer Denzil Mnkandla said the donation reflected the club’s appreciation of the Khumalo family’s historical contribution and the place of King Lobengula in Zimbabwe’s history.
He said the centenary celebrations offered an opportunity to reflect on the club’s origins, acknowledge its founders and recognise the heritage that forms part of the country’s national identity.
“We believe that this milestone should not only be about celebrating our achievements on the football field, but also about reflecting on our origins, acknowledging those who came before us and recognising the historical heritage that forms part of our national identity,” he said.
Mnkandla said the gesture was also intended to encourage greater appreciation, preservation and documentation of Zimbabwe’s history, including the legacy of King Lobengula and the contributions of the Khumalo family.
“Our message is simple: history matters, heritage matters, and those who came before us deserve to be remembered and honoured,” said Mnkandla.
He said the club wanted future generations to inherit an institution that understood its history, respected its heritage and remained connected to the communities that had supported it for a century.
Leave a Reply