TRULY INNOCENT

Full-back Thamsanqa Mkhize has been part of a Cape Town City team That has done unexpected things in this their debut season. He has featured at right-back in most of their games and even chipped in with a goal when they routed Chippa United 4-1 in April.

1 Thamsanqa Innocent Mkhize was born in KwaXimba, Cato Ridge (Mpumalanga). Although his parents never explained the reason behind his English name, he believes he has lived up to its meaning through his behaviour. He has always been known as the most disciplined player at all the clubs he has played2 for. Mkhize is the third born child in a family of six kids, though two of his siblings Sicelo and Siphelele have passed away. His oldest brother Mthokozisi owns a car wash in KwaXimba while his younger sister, Nonkululeko, works in construction. The youngest sibling, Anele, is still at 3 school. His father, who now works for Unilever in Durban, played amateur football in his younger years as a defender with a penchant of scoring goals whenever he went on the overlap. Mkhize senior was known as “Drepa” in football circles, which is now Thami’s adopted nickname. Medals and pictures adorning the family household bore true testimony to the fact that Mkhize senior once played the game.4 Thami reveals that growing up, he was inspired by Siyabonga Mdluli (ex-Maritzburg United and Free State Stars) and Innocent “Bashin” Mahlangu, both of whom hail from Cato Ridge. He also idolised Sibusiso Zuma, who comes from nearby Ham- marsdale. At present, besides him, Cato Ridge has alos produced Nkanyiso Mngwengwe of Lamontville Golden Arrows and Platinum Stars forward Bonginkosi Ntuli, who is actu5ally his neighbour back home. Though he was one of very few students to pass matric at his high school, Mkhize declares that his heart was always in playing professional football and has no idea what would have come of him if he didn’t turn professional and play the game full-time. 6 He credits the owner and family of his original team, Brains United, as the people that provided the support that stabilised the foundation of his career, before he went to the Nathi Lions reserve team and later Golden Arrows. “The Ngubane family also gave me transport money for the 45-minute 7 journey to Durban,” he says. The 28-year-old acknowledges that the experience of being signed and then immediately dumped by Orlando Pirates without even training nor playing for the club left him dejected, but his 8 tenacity kept him going. Mkhize describes himself as a typical rural Zulu man who remains respectful of his culture and family roots, so much so that the first people that he thinks of on payday are all those back home. In CapeC Town, Mkhize, whow is a father of a son namedna Lusakhanya A Anele,l stays alone in a rented apartment in Bo-Kaap and does all the cooking, cleaning and laundry himself without assistance from any 9 helper. Though he only acquired his driver’s licence just four years ago, he had been driving for years, having initially been taught by Golden Arrows kit manager Xolani Blose. He would later go on to drive his Arrows teammate and namesake Thamsanqa Gabuza’s car during the big striker’s time at 10 Arrows. While he has never been outside the country or played international football, he has found reason to keep Siyabonga Nkosi’s jersey from his time at Kaizer Chiefs as a souvenir. He says the jersey provides inspiration to the journey taken by the retired midfielder who played in Germany and Israel.