Babhonga ngokushona kukaMjabu Mncube
IGUTSHUZELWE yifu elimnyama indima kanobhutshuzwayo eNingizimu Afrika ngokudlula emhlabeni kwenye yezinkakha ezayibamba kunzima kwiNational Professional Soccer League (NPSL) lapho abadlali babengaholi izizumbulu zemali njengabanamuhla.
Le nkakha, u-Edmund Mjabu Mncube (66), obehlala kwa-G KwaMashu udlule kwelimagade ahlabayo esibhedlela iKing Edward VIII, entathakusa ngeSonto lapho ebengeniswe khona ebambekile ngenxa yesifo sohlangothi. Uqale ukudlala kwiJuvenile ye-Union Jack FC eyayidlala eMsizini ngasekuqaleni kwabo 1960.
Ufike KwaMashu wadlalela iqembu lakwa-F, iYoung Dribblers, eyabe idlalelwa nguMoses Radebe, ongumfowabo kaNgqongqoshe eHhovisi likaMengameli, uMnuz Jeff Radebe noMgodla Dube.
Kuthe ngeminyaka yabo 70 bahlukana uDube wayodlalela iLeeds United FC, yaseMakhehleni, KwaMashu kwathi uMncube nomfowabo uNhlanhla, naye ongasekho, bayojoyina iLamontville Golden Arrows.
Udlalele Abafana Bes’thende, eyibambe noDinini “Mqalawenkunzi” Mwandla, Mazwakhe “Dolly” Nqetho, Themba “Thizzah” Thwala bonke abangasekho emhlabeni, noCurnic “Masotsha” Ncwane osaphila. Udlale kuBafana Bes’thende waze waba ngukaputeni.
Ngemuva kwe-Arrows ujoyine umnawakhe kuMaZulu, uNhlanhla owashiya kuqala kwi-Arrows, kwaze kwaba ukhinyabezwa ukulimala edolweni nokwamphoqa ukuthi awagaxe emgibeni amakhokho.
Ngo-1981 uDavid Dlamini owabe esephethe uSuthu wamenza imenenja yeqembu esebenza nomqeqeshi uWillie Lewis.
Ephawula ngoMncube owakhula naye uDube uthe: “Kuhambe indoda ebingezwani nento enesixakaxaka. Ngaqala ukudlala naye kwi-Union Jack FC, yaseMsizini. Sithe uma sifika KwaMashu ngo-1961 sadlalela iYoung Dribblers FC saze sahlukana ngoba sengiya kwiLeeds yena nomfowabo sebeyodlalela i-Arrows. Besilokhu sisondelene njalo kwaze kwabe kushaya isikhathi sokuhamba kwakhe emhlabeni,” kubalisa uDube.
UMncube ushiye emhlabeni umkakhe uTippy, uMaKunene nendodakazi uThandeka owelama indodana uSibusiso ongasekho. Uzofihlwa emathuneni aseRedhill, eThekwini ngoMgqibelo emini. Inkonzo yomngcwabo izoba seKuvukeni Anglican Parish, ngasePoly Clinic endala KwaMashu, izoqala ngo-9 ekuseni.