OWAYENGUNOZINTI wokuqina kuMaZulu FC, uFrederick “The Cat” Mfeka, usechaze inkakha engasekho uBonginkosi “Ace” Mnikathi njengonyazi lomgadli owayebalwa nababesatshwa ngeminyaka yama-1970.
UMnikathi (78) udlule emhlabeni ngoLwesibili ntambama esekhaya, ngemuva kokugula isikhathi eside ephethwe yisifiso sohlangothi.
Wayengesinye sezihlabani zeqembu laMaZulu, ngaleso sikhathi ayebizwa ngeZulu Royals, elazuza isicoco seligi yeNational Professional Soccer League (NPSL) ngesizini ka-1972.
Leli qembu elaliqeqeshwa nguChris “Speak It” Ngcobo, lalibophele izihlabani okubalwa kuzo uMfeka, uSelby “Scara” Wanda, Richard “Somgidlase” Ngubane, Wellington “Chippa” Khoza, Cedric “Sugar Ray” Xulu, Eric “Nduna kaNdaba” Ngidi, Sy “Shushu Baby” Moola, nabanye.
“U-Ace wayengumgadli obukhali ngendlela eyisimanga, enejubane elixakayo, edlula njengommese oshisayo usika ibhotela kubadlali basemuva eqhulula amagoli. Ungomunye wabagadli ababasezingeni eliphezulu nabebehlonishwa kakhulu ngesikhathi adlala ngaso, hhayi kuphela KwaZulu-Natal, kodwa eNingizimu yonke,” kusho uMfeka.
Uthe wayenobubele, ekwazi ukwemukela abadlali abafikayo eqenjini, kwazise naye wafika emncane kuMaZulu ngoDisemba ka-1971.
“Mina noRichard Ngubane ekufikeni kwethu kuMaZulu sasisengabafundi oNgoye (University of Zululand), kodwa-ke mina ngangimncane. Sahamba sayodlala umdlalo wobungani neKaizer Chiefs, eyayisabizwa ngeKaizer XI isanda kusungulwa. Abanye abalandeli baMaZulu bathi kumenenja weqembu, uBethuel Masondo: ‘asinaye unozinti, sidinga unozinti uMasondo, yingane le (besho mina).’ Kodwa wabatshela uMasondo wathi nguye unozinti lo. Sabambana ngo 0-0 neChiefs. Ngavimba amaphenathi amabili, kwathi ngemuva kwalowo mdlalo uMnikathi waya kubalandeli wathi abaxolise kimi, nangempela baxolisa (ehleka).”
UMichael Nxasana, ongusihlalo wabalandeli boSuthu egatsheni laseHammarsdale elaqanjwa nge-Ace Mnikathi Branch ngo-2021, uthe: “Ukwebelwa kukaMnikathi imoto egcekeni lakhe kule minyaka emithathu edlule, ngikholwa ukuthi yikhona okwamgulisa, waze waphathwa yisifo sohlangothi. Wagula kusukela lapho nokusho ukuthi kwamphatha kabi kakhulu ukwebiwa kwemoto yakhe ayeya ngayo emsebenzini.”
Nakuba ingakaqinisekiswa imininingwane ngenkonzo yomngcwabo kaMnikathi, kodwa uNxasana uthe kunezinhlelo zokuthi afihlwe ngoLwesibili.
UMnikathi uyinkakha yesibili yoSuthu ukudlula emhlabeni nonyaka. NgoMeyi kwadlula emhlabeni uJoel Faya ngemuva kokugula isigubhukane.