SIBUSISO MDLALOSE
OSEBE ngumlandeli wokuqina waMaZulu kusukela ekusungulweni kwawo ngo-1932 esengumfanyana, uthi isifiso sakhe esikhulu ngaphambi kokuba endele koyisemkhulu wukubona AmaZulu FC ephakamisa indebe.
UMnuz Mjanyelwa Mthethwa, obegubha iminyaka engu-100 yokuzalwa ekhaya lakhe eMangamazini, eMbumbulu ngoMqgibelo ubenzelwe idili lokugubha usuku lokuzalwa. Belenziwe yizikhulu nabalandeli baleli qembu beziko laseMbumbulu.
"Ngisuka kude kakhulu nokulandela AmaZulu kusukela ebuncaneni bami. Ngaleso sikhathi ayesabizwa ngeZulu Royals, esadlala eMsizini. Ohhe, lezo kwakuyizinsuku ezimnandi lisadlalwa ngempela ibhola. Ngikhumbula oRichman Ngubane, oSugar Ray Xulu, abanye angisabakhumbuli kahle, kodwa AmaZulu ayelithinta ngempela ngalezo zikhathi nokuyikhona okwangenza ngawathanda kuze kube namhlanje," kusho uMthethwa, othi uzifela ngoLehlohonolo "Major" Majoro.
"Kungihlaba umxhwele okwenzeka kuMaZulu njengamanje selokhu izintambo zithathwe uZungu (Sandile). Mkhulu umehluko okhona, iqembu lidlala kahle futhi liya ngokuya libuyelwa yisithunzi salo.
Kodwa lapho engibona sengathi kusashoda khona kukubagadli. Sengathi bangathola omunye umgadli obukhali onjeMabhuti Khanyeza, ozokwazi ukwelekelela uMajoro.
Isifiso sami njengamanje wukuthi ngibone leli qembu lami engilikhonzile liphakamisa inkomishi ngaphambi kokuba ngiye kobabamkhulu."
AmaZulu anikele ngekhekhe nejezi elibhalwe isibongo sikaMnuz Mthethwa, kwathi uNgqongqoshe wezokuThukiswa koMphakathi KwaZulu-Natal, uNkk Nonhlanhla Khoza ofike ekuseni, wanikela ngegilosa.
Ongusihlalo waMaZulu kuzwelonke, uJoe Hlongwa, uthe: "Kuyisibusiso esikhulu kithina kuleli qembu lethu laMaZulu ukuthi sibe nomlandeli osekhule kangaka. Sincela kogwansile kubaba uMthethwa, ufana nenqolobane kithina. Siyafisa sengathi kule sizini iqembu lethu lingawina indebe ukuze ajabule," kusho uHlongwa.
Ngokusho kukaPhumlani Dube, ongumxhumanisi waMaZulu nabalandeli okunguyena obambe iqhaza elikhulu ekwenzeni umcimbi ube yimpumelelo, abeCebolethu Funerals okuyinhlangano yangcwabi, banikele ngenkomo ukwenza idili libe yimpumelelo.