PRODUCT OF ABAQULUSI

Mandla Ncikazi played as a defender, starting out with Reservoir Hills United in the OK League, the old NSL second division, before moving on to African Wanderers with who he played in the PSL, making his debut in the 1997/98 season.

In his first season in top-flight football, he managed 12 appearances with Wanderers as they were relegated at the end of that season.

He was in the Abaqulusi team that had the famous strike trio of Sibusiso Zuma, Phumlani Mkhize and Siyabonga Nomvethe, a team that also featured Patrick Nxumalo, Arthur Bartman, Tholomuzi Blose, Jabulani Ngwenya, Bhekuyise Goba, Jomo Mkhalele and Innocent Mayoyo.

He went down with Wanderers to the First Division before coming up with them for the 1999/2000 campaign making 13 appearances.

After that he joined AmaZulu in the coastal stream First Division, where his career was cut short by injury in the lead up to Usuthu’s promotion.

“At Reservoir Hills United I was coached by Professor Ngubane, who gave me my break in that league. After the club was sold, I then moved to Wanderers, who had been relegated and stayed with them for almost all of the rest of my playing career.

“I then moved to AmaZulu at the start of the 2000/01 season when they came back to the coastal stream first division. I tore my Achilles tendon during that season in a match away at Trinitarians and that marked the end of my career because I retired after the doctors told me that with the way it had snapped, it would be difficult to play again.

“The team eventually won promotion back to the PSL [for the 2001/02 season] under Malombo [Ngcebo Sibiya],” he remembers.