According to reports from South Africa, soccer player Willard Katsande, who was born in Zimbabwe but now lives in South Africa, has survived a gruesome assassination attempt.
Katsande, who was recently in Zimbabwe on a private visit, told the media that the incident cost him thousands of rands in business and personal property, including his cellphone and cash, which were in the car at the time of the incident.
Katsande noted that the assailants numbering three kidnapped him in the Southgate Mall parking lot and dragged him to the ground, leaving him injured..
The tracking company later discovered his car in Eldorado Park, badly damaged on the inside.
Katsande is a Zimbabwean footballer who has previously played for Premier Soccer League club Kaizer Chiefs and the Zimbabwe national team. He is currently playing for Sekhukhune United F.C. in the DStv Premiership.
Known as a midfield work-horse, Willard Katsande began his career playing for local lower division clubs in Zimbabwe such as Frontier Steel (2002–2005), Feruka (2006–2007) and a popular giant killing club from Mutare, called Highway (2007–2009) from where he was recruited to play for Gunners F.C. in Harare for the 2009–10 season.
Katsande scored his first official goal on 15 March 2014 in the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates, the same team he made his debut against, being a header in the 61st minute in a 1–0 win. He scored almost on the goal line and headed past Senzo Meyiwa.
He was the biggest winner at the Kaizer Chiefs Awards on 21 May 2014. He won Players’ Player of the Season, May Player of the Month, Fan Player of the Season and Online Player of the Season and Player of the Season awards. He pocketed R230 000 in total prize-money after taking home most of the Awards.
He scored his second official goal for Chiefs in a 2–1 win loss to Black Leopards in the Nedbank Cup on 21 March 2015, exactly 371 days after scoring his first. He won the MTN8 and his second league title in 2014–15.