Balanda: Dribbling wizard, scoring machine
IT IS 3:30pm on Monday, this writer arrives at Kelvin North industrial site in the City of Kings and Queens. Ko! Ko! ko! The sound booms underneath a car.
How you are sir? I am looking for Mandla Balanda! A man responds: “I’m the one, who are you?”
All of a sudden, a hand pops out and a hand fumbles for a grip as he wriggles out. Jovially he says, “I’m fixing a car, the owner has to take it today. Who are you?” Quickly I introduced myself and he welcomed me.
He shares with me that after quitting soccer he started a panel beating and spray painting career. It has become his source of livelihood.
“This has become my source of livelihood since I quit football. I have managed to cater for the upkeep of my family from this trade,” he said.
He was fondly known as Mandla Balanda but his real name is Mandlenkosi. His former teammate at Highlanders Sikhumbuzo Ndebele says they used to jovially call him Ice cream but the nickname did not gain popularity.
“Due to his dribbling wizardry attributes and stylish play during our training sessions we used to call him Ice cream but the nickname did not gain popularity and died a natural death,” he says.
Like many boys who grew up in the western suburbs he played plastic football in the streets of Mpopoma.
For his primary education he attended Lukhanyiso Primary School from Grade One up to Grade Six.
Due to his prolific football skills, a sports master at Mpumelelo Primary School lured him to transfer to his school and he did as such.
“Seeing that I was good in many sporting disciplines that include swimming, athletics, soccer and tennis Mnkandla enticed me with soccer boots and I transferred to Mpumelelo Primary School,” he said.
Although he was good in a number of various sports disciplines his favorite sport was soccer. He says he was playful at school and because of that his father had to send him to John Tallach boarding school where he did Form One up to Form Four. While he was at John Tallach he specialised in soccer.
He recalls with a chuckle: “We used to play friendly matches against teams such as Nhlambabaloyi. We did not play competitive games because our school authorities did not prioritise soccer but valued education.”
He completed his Ordinary Level in 1986 and attained four subjects namely English language, Ndebele, English Literature and Geography.
Craving to pursue a soccer career, Balanda joined Hunyani FC and played alongside his late brother Clement Balanda, Joe Mbarure and Peter Kolly. Before long he was lured to join Tornados FC which was based in Harare.
He talks fondly of the following players and says he formed a formidable force with them.
“At Hunyani I played my brand of football and players such as Forbes Ndaba, Mpumelelo Dzowa and Jona Tasanangura made me feel at home and that helped me to improve and become a prolific striker,” he says.
Due to his sublime he was called up to the Under-20 national team. As a result he received a national team call-up to play in the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) tournament.
However, bitter memories linger on his mind when he cast his memory back to that tournament.
“When we clashed against Zambia, I was red-carded for elbowing a Zambia defender. After the match my team mate George Nechironga scolded me,” he says.
But at the end of the tournament Balanda received a morale booster as his team won the tournament after beating Zambia in the finals.
When they returned home the financial affairs of his football club were not good. The team was sold to Darryn T textiles, before long he was spotted by scouts of a Botswana-based outfit — TaskFC.
He grabbed the opportunity and Francistown outfit.
Balanda says he formed a deadly partnership with joined the Patrick Zibotshwa.
“Zibotshwa was one of the most feared striker who had pace, commanding height and scoring abilities and we complemented each other upfront. We troubled many defenders and scored many goals,” he says.
He says he spent a season at Francistown-based outfit and in the following season he joined Gaborone United FC.
The team manager played a pivotal role in the success of the club.
“Our team manager Mr Muputing was instrumental in the success of the team as he motivated us to give it our all in the field of play and discouraged us from taking any kind of drugs or performance enhancements. Locally his motivational attributes could be equated to that of former Highlanders manager Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda who was good at motivating the players and cultivating a spirit of team work,” he shares.
During his stint at Gaborone United he became a household name and helped the side clinch the Botswana PSL championship.
His glittering stint with Gaborone United ended after six seasons where he felt he was ready to come back home and showcase his top drawer skills at Highlanders. His move to Highlanders was via Hunyani FC when it was in Division Two.
He says he proved his worth at the outfit as he was a scoring machine.
“I became a top goal scorer for my team and that brightened my chances of joining Highlanders,” he says.
In no time, he said he was spotted by veteran coach, Ali “baba” Dube, during a social soccer match that pitted Mpopoma select and Mzilikazi Pirates.
He quickly joined the vintage class of Amahlolanyama. The side had a galaxy of players in the name of late Adam Ndlovu, Makwinji, Soma Phiri, Gift Lunga Senior, Cleopas Dlodlo, Alexander Maseko, Musawenkosi Masango, Peter Nkomo, Mercedes Sibanda, Willard Khumalo, Benjamin Konjera, Mackay Nyathi, Austine Juwayeyi, the late Amon Chimbalanga, Dumisani Nyoni, Melusi Nkiwane and Sikhumbuzo Ndebele.
The side was coached by Roy Barretto. His undisputed local PSL memorable game was when his side clashed with DeMbare in an epic battle at Babourfields.
“We played the match at BF under floodlights. I scored a spectacular goal after I had dribbled past a number of defenders. We drubbed Glamour boys 4-1 in that league match,” he smiles.
He says after the departure of Barretto, Barry Daka and Cosmas Tsano Zulu took over but they never afforded him game time and due to frustration he says he had to leave.
He says during his leisure time he turned out for Ndola FC which was an Iminyela outfit. The then Gaborone United mentor Bongani Mafu convinced him to join his outfit.
“I gave in to his proposal and joined the outfit, at that time it was in Division One. I spent a season at the side then I came back to Highlanders when it was under the guidance of Madinda Ndlovu. His main focus was on grooming young players, as a result I was not given much game time and had to quit soccer,” he says.
Locally, Balanda says he is a die-hard Highlanders fan and in English Premier Soccer League he supports Manchester United.
He says his association with Highlanders started long back when he was a teenage boy.
“My father used to take me to BF to watch Highlanders and I began to love it and I grew up supporting it and playing for it was fulfilling the dream,” he says.
He holds Highlanders coach Erol Akbay in high esteem.
“I believe in his philosophy of blending the junior players with the senior players and that helps in the continuity when some of the senior players retire,” he says.
During his stint at Highlanders he featured on ZTV adverts sponsored by Zesa urging people to save power. He says he regrets that!
“I was not paid a cent for the advertising slots on ZTV. Shockingly many people thought I was paid handsomely for that,” he said.
Balanda is married to Roselyn Dube. The couple has five children namely Vanessa (28), Nqobile (24), Bandile (14), Nokuthaba (12) and Nokukhanya (4).
He was born in 1969 at Mpilo hospital. He is a Christian. He hails from Nkayi in Matabeleland North province.