URay Phiri ushiye usana olunezinyanga ezingu-8
USHIYE emhlabeni usana olunezinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili nonkosikazi oneminyaka engu-25, umakadebona womculi we-jazz, uRay “Chikapa” Phiri (70), oshone izolo entathakusa esibhedlela eNelspruit ngemuva kokuxinwa wumdlavuza wamaphaphu.
Unina kaPhiri oneminyaka engu-113 ufihleliwe ngokushona kwendodana yakhe.
Okhulumela umndeni, uPaul Nkanyane, uthe bahlela ukutshela unina walesi silomo okungenani kusasa. “Kuyabheda, sishaqekile. Besingalindele ngoba unina usaphila uneminyaka engu-113. Besilindele ukuthi naye uzofika kuleyo minyaka.”
UPaul, othe usebe ngumngani noPhiri kusukela ngo-1982, uthe bafuna kuqala ukwamukela, namaphaphu abe phansi ngaphambi kokutshela unina kaPhiri.
“Ushiye emhlabeni unkosikazi (Rabelani Mulaudzi) enomntwana onezinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili nabanye.”
Uncokole ngokuthi izingane zikaPhiri ziningi zedlula abalandeli beKaizer Chiefs.
Uthe unkosikazi wakhe wokuqala wadlula emhlabeni wamshiya nengane enezinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye.
Uthe uRay ubeyindoda eqotho kumkakhe.
UPaul uveze ukuthi bahlela ukuthi inkonzo yesikhumbuzo ibe seNelspruit ngoMgqibelo bese inkonzo yomngcwabo ibe ngoLwesibili.
Engxoxweni aba nayo ne-SAFM ngonyaka odlule, uPhiri wageqa amagula ngempilo yakhe.
Waveza ukuthi akazalwa kwaPhiri kodwa uyise omzalayo kwakunguFana Zulu waKwaZuluNatal owadlula emhlabeni ngo1951.
“Ngesikhathi ubaba edlula ngangimncane. Ngikhuliswe yinsizwa yaseMalawi yakwaPhiri engafunda kuyo le ndlela engidansa ngayo esiteji. Isiginci sakhe sasinopopayi engangibabuka uma benyakaza nami ngaqala ukunyakaza njengabo,” kuchaza uPhiri kule nkulumo esaphila.
Waveza ukuthi ngesikhathi esemncane wayeshoda nge-calcium emzimbeni okwadala ukuthi aze abe neminyaka emine engakwazi ukuhamba, nokugaqa.
“Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uPhiri wayehlala ezongibona njalo esibhedlela, ngezinye izikhathi afike engcolile umbona ukuthi usuka emsebenzini,” kwasho uRay.
Wathi ekukhuleni kwakhe wayengafuni ukuyohlala eGoli kodwa ngenxa yokuthi amathuba ayevuleleke khona kwamphoqa ukuthi ahambe.
“Ngangineminyaka engu-20 ngifika khona, ngidansela iqembu lamaDark City Sisters. Ngangifuna ukudansa nokwangiphoqa ukuthi ngihlale emgwaqeni njengoba ngangingazi muntu eGoli ngingenazihlobo,” kwasho uRay.