ZAKHELE XABA
O BENGUMQEQESHI weRoyal Eagles, uThami Ngubane, ukholwa wukuthi umdlali wasesiswini weqembu, uMark Mayambela, ufanelwe ukuthola ithuba lesibili lokugijima ku-Premier Soccer League (PSL).
UNgubane, osanda kubuyela kuThanda Royal Zulu kuNational First Division (NFD), uyena ophendlele indawo uMayambela ku-Eagles ngesikhathi lingekho iqembu ebelifuna ukuzihlanganisa naye. UMayambela ufulathele iNingizimu Afrika emuva kokuthi esephenduke isibukeli ku-Orlando Pirates, walandelwa nayimibiko yokuthi akaziphathi kahle.
Uxoshwe kuMpumalanga Black Aces noMkhanyiseli Siwahla bengakaqedi nesikhathi esingakanani besayinile. Uthole ikhaya elisha kuDjurgadens yaseSweden afike kuyona waphenduka isilomo. Nokho ukuhlupheka kubuye kwamlandela, wabuyela eNingizimu Afrika.
UNgubane uthe kusezandleni zabaqeqeshi abakhona kuPSL ukuthi uMayambela bamehlulela ngemisebenzi yakhe yakudala noma babheka akwazi ukukwenza enkundleni.
“Ebholeni lethu siyabadinga abadlali abafana noMayambela. Uyalidinga elinye ithuba kuPSL lokuzikhombisa esigabeni esikhulu. Kufanele abekezele. Ngiyakholwa ukuthi emilenzeni yakhe isekhona iminyaka angayigijima,” kusho uNgubane.
“Ngesikhathi efika ku-Eagles, ubelimele kodwa ngamvikela, ngathi ulimale esekithina. Nami kwakuyindlela yami engangizama ukufaka isandla ngayo ekuvuseni ibhola lakhe. Abadlali bebhola kabafuni ukuvuma ukuthi banenkinga, badinga umuntu ozobasiza babuyele endleleni. Ngingamyala ngokuthi akaqhubeke nokukholwa akwenzayo, asebenze kanzima.”
UNgubane ukhuluma ngethuba lesibili nje kuMayambela, abadlali abafana noLerato Chabangu, osejoyine iBidvest Wits, Phumelele “Ace” Bhengu, osesayine kuSuperSport United esuka kuThanda, sebeke bashona phansi kodwa balithola ithuba lesibili lokudlala kuPSL. UChabangu ulandwe ngumqeqeshi, uGordon Igesund, esehlezi ekhaya lingekho iqembu elimdingayo. UBhengu uzidele amathambo wayodlala kuNFD emuva kokuchithwa ngamaqembu afana naMaZulu neChippa United.
UNgubane unenselelo yokwakha kabusha iThanda ehanjelwe yinqwaba yabadlali okukhona kubo uBhengu, oqede isizini ehamba phambili ngamagoli kuNFD, Mazwi “Jomo” Mncube osekusele kancane asayine kuChippa noJabulani “JB” Ncubeni owake wagijima kuMaritzburg United.
UNgubane ubehambele umqhudelwano waminyaka yonke iDerrick Spencer Soccer Festival ebiseShowe ngoMgqibelo lapho abezothungatha khona abadlali. Umhlanganiso udliwe yi-Enyimba ehlule iNhlungwane ngo 1-0 kowamanqamu. I-Enyimba igoduke no-R35 000 kwathi iNhlungwane yathotshwa izihliziyo ngo-R15 000.
“IThanda iyiqembu elihlale lifuna ukuwina iligi noma liye kuma Play-Off. Nakulokhu akukho okuhlukile,” kusho uNgubane ohlukane ne-Eagles ngaphansi kwezinkulumo zokuthi ubekade eseboshelelwa isikimu.
“Kusele abadlali abayisithupha kuphela nabo abangenawo amava eNFD. Kuyasiphoqa ukuthi siphume sithungathe abadlali esizokwakha ngabo iqembu.”