UYELASHWA esibhedlela owayengumqeqeshi weBafana Bafana, u-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba, ngokubika kokhulumela umndeni wakhe.
UMashaba (74) owadlalela i-Orlando Pirates neMoroka Swallows esengumdlali, kubikwa ukuthi uphuthunyiswe esibhedlela iHelen Joseph, eGoli, ngasekupheleni kwenyanga edlule.
“Umqeqeshi akekho esimeni esihle. Kutholakale ukuthi unenkinga yesinye kodwa abakacacisi kahle ukuthi yini engalungile ngaso. Wawa ekhaya ngoJanuwari 25, waphuthunyiswa esibhedlela kodwa bamkhipha ngakusasa ekuseni,” kusho okhulumela umndeni uSithembele Khala emsakazweni iRadio 2000.
“Uphinde wabambeka kakhulu ngomhla ka-27, wabuyiselwa esibhedlela. Ulimi lwakhe beluvuvukele, umoya ungasangeni kahle. Uhlezi esibhedlela kusukela lapho.
“Njengoba kuyisibhedlela sikahulumeni, banezingcindezi yabo. Uke wahlala usuku noma izinsuku engamboni udokotela kodwa wagcina embonile. Isimo sakhe siphinde saba sibi futhi ngakho-ke silindele ukubona ukuthi yini odokotela abangasiza ngayo.”
UMashaba upheke wonke amaqembu esizwe akuleli okungelika-Under-17, Under-20, Under-23 neBafana.
Wagcina ukuqeqesha ngo-2019 ngesikhathi ebambe izintambo kwiWitbank Spurs.
UNdunankulu waseGauteng, uPanyaza Lesufi, ovakashele uMashaba esibhedlela izolo ntambama, uthe ugculisekile ngosizo aluthola esibhedlela.
“Ngithole ucingo oluthi umqeqeshi wethu wakudala ukwesinye sezibhedlela zethu, ngashiya phansi konke ngayombona. Kusho lukhulu ukuthi elinye lamaqhawe akuleli lizwe libeke impilo yalo kithina njengohulumeni. Ngibone kubalulekile ukuthi ngiqinisekise ukuthi konke kuhamba kahle,” kusho uLesufi ekhuluma neSABC.
“Ingihlabe umxhwele kakhulu indlela isibhedlela esilusingathe ngayo lolu daba nendlela alulama ngayo. Kumthokozisile ukuba khona kwethu futhi kumthintile ngempela ukuthi sikwazile ukuzombona.
“Yize engaseyena umqeqeshi weqembu lesizwe kodwa ngeke siwusule umlando nemisebenzi yakhe emihle. Yingakho ngibone kukuhle ukuthi ngizifikele qathatha ngizomfisela ukuthi alulame ngokushesha.”