Philemon Mulala, a former Zambian international footballer, has been found dead after being attacked by his dogs at home.
The 60-year-old was discovered by his wife in his back garden, having been bitten and apparently mauled by three animals.
The professional footballer had a club career at Mufulira Wanderers and Cape Town Spurs.
According to local reports, he was declared dead in Lichtenburg, South Africa, on Saturday. Mulala was a versatile winger who scored several goals for the national team that won the East and Central Africa Challenge (CECAFA) Cup under the late Colonel Brightwell Banda in 1984. It was Zambia’s first-ever silverware and Mulala scored twice in the semi-final victory over Kenya.
South Africa’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has removed the dogs from the home. Sam Tsulanyane, of the local police forced, said Mulala’s wife had heard barking while the attack took place.
“She did not bother to go and check what was wrong [when the dogs were barking] as their house is situated on a busy street and the dogs frequently barked at pedestrians and vehicles passing by,” a statement widely reported locally said.
“After the electricity was restored [after loadshedding]she went inside looking for her husband, but could not find him. Upon continuing with her search, the woman saw her husband lying motionless outside in the garden.”
Adrian Kashala, general secretary of the Zambian national football federation, said: “We remain with wonderful memories that the late Philemon honoured us with on the pitch. There is a lot that today’s players can learn from the deceased’s generation.”
