Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
THE football world is mourning the loss of former Warriors’ striker Tendai “Fire” Ndoro, who died on Monday in Johannesburg at the age of 40.
Tributes continue to pour in from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and beyond, celebrating a career that left an indelible mark on the game.
After a spell in Botswana with Nico United, he returned home to Chicken Inn, where his explosive pace and clinical finishing earned him the nickname “Fire.”
His breakthrough came in 2013, when he joined Mpumalanga Black Aces in South Africa, before catching the eye of bigger clubs. In 2015, he signed for Orlando Pirates, where he cemented his reputation as a lethal forward.
During his time with the Soweto giants, Ndoro scored 23 goals in two seasons, including crucial strikes in the fiercely contested Soweto Derby.
“The community in South Africa still remembers him fondly. If you look at the social media and all the newspapers, tributes are just full because he had lasting memories,” South Africa-based journalist Blessed Katiyo stated.
“Ndoro nearly joined Crystal Palace in 2015. Everything was in order and unfortunately, there was a breakdown in communication with the international agent and the deal fell through,” a football agent, George Deda noted.
On the international stage, Ndoro was capped 14 times by Zimbabwe between 2013 and 2017, scoring five goals.
He represented the Warriors at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, where he netted a memorable goal against Tunisia.
Tributes have described him as both a footballing talent and a jovial character.
“He was just a very good fellow. He would be very jovial, always dancing and making sure that everyone’s smiles,” former Warriors striker Edward Sadomba said.
Ndoro was diagnosed with diabetes and later developed eyesight complications earlier this year. He underwent surgery to remove a tumour, but his health deteriorated in recent weeks.
His childhood friend Thembani Jubane says a strong man is gone.
“He was a strong man, to be able to rise from all those social media attacks and be able to resurrect shows how strong he was as a man.”
Ndoro will be remembered as one of Zimbabwe’s finest strikers of his generation, a player whose goals, flair, and determination inspired countless young footballers.
