SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
UQWEQWE lomdidiyeli wemijaho, uCeli Makhoba, luthi kuphenduleka imithandazo yalo yeminyaka ngokwanda kwesibalo yemijaho esezindaweni zasemakhaya.
Lo makadebona emdlalweni wezokusubatha, uxoxele leli phephandaba ukuthi impi yokuthi kusungulwe imijaho emakhaya wayiqala ejoyina iKwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), ngo-1998.
Uthe ngalo nyaka kwakuwongaphansi nongaphezulu phakathi kwabampisholo nabelungu. Abamnyama babefuna ukungena esigungwini esiphezulu sale nhlangano. Uqhube wathi kwagcina kuthathwe isinqumo sokuthi alinganiswe amalungu ngokuhlukana kwezinhlanga. UMakhoba uthe ngaleso sikhathi kwakukhona ababephikisana nomqondo wakhe wokusungulwa kwemijaho emakhaya nasemalokishini.
Uthe imijaho yayimbalwa, igcwele ezindaweni ezingamadolobha.
Uveze ukuthi eyayidumile iBanana Marathon yaseThekwini, Durban Marathon, Richmond to Maritzburg, Stanger to Mandeni, ukusho ezimbalwa.
Uthe ngemuva kokwesula kwiKZNA, uqale waba umdidiyeli wemijaho. Kweyasemakhaya uthe uqale ngokudidiyela iZululand Ultra Marathon egijinywa phakathi koLundi naKwaNongoma.
Kube sekulandela neHarry Gwala, Prince Mangosuthu, Dumbe Half Marathon, JG Zuma, Willies Mchunu neminye.
"Okwakungiphatha kabuhlungu ukubona abagijimi besuka emakhaya, beya emadolobheni ngoba befuna ukuhlungela imijaho efana neComrades neTwo Oceans Marathon. Ngenxa yokungabi namali, abanye babegcina belala ezigangeni. Lokhu kwakubeka impilo yabo engcupheni.
“Nathi emalokishini besithwala kanzima. Isibonelo, mina bengigibela isitimela esisuka u-4 ekuseni, eMlaza. Kwesinye isikhathi ngangifika sewuqalile umjaho," kuchaza uMakhoba.
“Bengihlale ngishumayela ivangeli lokuthi amakilabhu asemakhaya nasemalokishini ayenzele ezindaweni azinze kuzo imijaho. Angayisi esilungwini. Kuyajabulisa ukuthi namhlanje sesinesibalo esingaka semijaho yasemakhaya. Okuhle ngayo ukuthi abasubathi bakwazi ukwenza izikhathi ezibafaka ngisho emiqhudelwaneni yomhlaba. Injalo nje le mijaho inemiklomelo emihle.”
Phakathi kweminye ekhokha kahle iPrince Mangosuthu Ultra enesamba sika-R100 000 kwabashaye intambo ku-52km. Lo mjaho ungowokuqala kuleli ukukhokha u-R50 000 ebangeni lika-21km. Kulo nyaka uzogijinywa ngoMeyi 5.
Omunye iHarry Gwala ekhokha u-R75 000. Yona ibigijinywa ngeSonto, phakathi koMzumkhulu neXopo.
UMakhoba ubonge wanconcoza komasipala ngokuxhasa le mijaho. Uphume iqhubu nomholi weNFP ongasekho, uZanele kaMagwaza-Msibi owayeyimeya yasoThukela.
"Akazange abe nenkinga yokufaka imali emijahweni, iZululand Ultra Marathon. Okuhle ukuthi nabanye omasipala sebeyabona ukuthi ukugijima kubeka isinkwa etafuleni emindenini eminingi," kubeka uMakhoba.
Ube esegqugquzela abantu basemakhaya ukuthi bajoyine amakilabhu okugijima asezindaweni zabo ukuze bengezukuba nazinkinga.
"Emjahweni waseHarry Gwala naseMthatha, ngaphatheka kabi abesifazane ababenqobile bezigqokele amaphinifa bengayitholi imiklomelo yabo. Lokhu kwadalwa ukuthi bagijima le mijaho bengekho ngaphansi kwamakilabhu, abanawo. Babenganazo izinombolo ezingamalayisensi,“ kululeka uMakhoba.