Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
FABIAN Zulu’s crowning moment in Zimbabwe football was winning the Castle Cup in 1991, a 3-1 conquest of army side Cranborne Barracks.
It was a happy moment for him and many in the side who grew up idolising a selected group of about two dozen players who had bagged the same tournament in 1970 and 1973.
They were his heroes, they not only inspired him but many generations that followed as they played some exciting football and showed great resilience in managing to stay in the then Rhodesia National Football League and Super League, in the early years of Independence.
Zulu (54) was born and raised in Hwange and boasts of having seen some of the greatest names the club has ever had.
He said some of the legends even coached and helped him become the celebrity player he got to be in Zimbabwe and Botswana.
“Growing up in Hwange, coal, oxygen and football were the most important components of life there. The whole town was solidly behind Chipangano and they followed village sides, which played very competitive football with religious conviction,” said Zulu.
He said the 1991 Castle Cup was even made more special by the fact that one of his coaches, Rodrick Simwanza was part of the 1973 Wankie (Hwange) squad.
“It was an important cup win for me, one of my childhood heroes, Rodrick Simwanza was my coach, assisting the legendary Paul Moyo. It was a great feeling to stand out there at the National Sports Stadium in Harare and remembering how the same tournament had even resulted in the coining of a song that we sang as primary school kids going to matches,” said Zulu.
Wankie Colliery Company buses that provided transport for local schools such as Lwendulu, Mabinga, Makwika, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, St George’s and St Ignatius to matches would reverberate to the song:
Soprano and Alto: Wankie inawina cup, Wankie inawina cup x4
Bass: We want some more, we want some more x4
Such was the impact of the 1970 and 1973 winning teams that this song was sung well into the late 1980s by all Hwange schools, as they psyched up to the competitive primary schools football in the coal mining town.
“Talk of Posani Sibanda, Jimmy Sibanda, Chimao, Simwanza, Amos Rendo, Cyprian Ngoma, Mwape Sakala, Isaac Phiri, Sam Mutende, John Garatsa, those were big names and helped shape up football in the town. Generations that also followed later like Nyaro Mumba, George Phiri, Barton Mwalukuka, Skeva Phiri, Chris Piningo, Francis Mwinga, Tobias Sibanda, Machona Sibanda, David Zulu, Dickson Banda and Philemon Nyathi held the fort well and we learned so much from them.
“We had our inspirations back then from the local league and the Super League side. They played some excellent football and the word relegation did not exist in the town as the players gave it their all for a company and community that was solidly behind them. We would be fascinated by the talents of visiting teams like Dynamos who had George Shaya, Sunday Marimo (Chidzambwa), Highlanders with Madinda Ndlovu, Douglas Mloyi, Tymon Mabaleka and Majuta Mpofu, Japhet Mparutsa, Arcadia’s George Rollo,” said Zulu.
Zulu took Sunday Leisure through some of the players who had a role in him becoming the legend.
Posani Sibanda and Amos Rendo
In my childhood, Sibanda was touted as the best goalkeeper in the land. He commanded a lot of respect in the town and in the game. He and Amos Rendo spotted me when I was an Under-14, playing for the Colliery juniors in tournaments such as the Chibuku Trophy. I would go to the senior team’s training sessions and act as a ball boy and toy around with the ball and they noticed my promising talent and pushed me all the way, until the Hwange first team. Sibanda alongside Rendo, both legends in the town and Zimbabwe football were instrumental in shaping my career and making me believe I could follow in their footsteps. Going with them to the guest house where they would have lunch and seeing two dozen local heroes being the first and reserve team, gave me the belief to take my game seriously.
Joel Shambo
He was a colossal figure in the game and in the country. His 1979 CAPS United with the likes of Stanley Ndunduma, Shaky Tauro and Stix Mtizwa had captured and stretched our imagination as young footballers in Hwange. In about 1987/88, I met Joel Shambo at a football tournament at Barbourfields Stadium and he said a statement, which was very pregnant with meaning in ChiShona. He said: Bhora unaro usarigarire. When I asked what that meant since I was not conversant in the language, I was told that the legend had challenged me to take my football career seriously since I appeared to be talented. From that time, it dawned on me that I could be a big player if I worked harder.
Peter Ndlovu and Benjamin Nkonjera
We would beat teams from Victoria Falls, Dete, Binga and Lupane then come to play the winners of Bulawayo, mostly Highlanders. In the mind games Ali “Baba” Dube, the Bosso juniors coach would insist that I was beyond the age limit and I should not be fielded with Fanyana Mguni. This was just to unsettle us, then at the end of the day, he would tone down and allow us to play. Peter Ndlovu was the mainstay of the Highlanders juniors and would dribble the entire defence. That inspired me, it challenged me to up my game and I would also give Highlanders juniors a torrid time too. We became friends with Peter and Benjamin Nkonjera when we were teenagers.
I got to know the legendary brother Madinda through them and they wanted me to come to Highlanders. Looking at how Labani Ngoma and Lazarus Mwampopo appeared to struggle with their welfare when they moved to Bulawayo, I did not have the motivation to come. At the Colliery there was free accommodation and transport, everything appeared on a platter, so I did not make that move. I was to hook up with them in the Dream Team and it was a great moment to be among them and legendary figures like Bruce Grobbelaar, Willard Khumalo, Rahman Gumbo, Henry Mckop, Francis Shonhayi, Ephraim Chawanda and Max Lunga.
Madinda Ndlovu
He was something else. He was big in the region and nationally. He made things happen for the country and Highlanders, it was inspiring hearing him on the radio and later meeting him through his younger brother. For him to want me to move to Highlanders, it made me believe I had something to offer the game at a high level.
Chris Piningo
He was my Hwange teammate, good ball player, dribbler and passer of the ball. He protected it so well that Joel Shambo and him were my midfield idols. I cannot leave out Stix M’tizwa, he was a magician in the middle of the park.
David Khumalo
In the 1970s, I would be part of the crowd that roared “Dididi” every time he had the ball. What a gifted player he was. He made things look so simple. I played as a right winger because of him. He was out of this world and compared with the best there was, except Mastermind George Shaya. Khumalo inspired so many of us.
George Shaya
The greatest, was in everyone’s football book. I admired him a great deal and played as a midfielder or winger on the right. He was a genius and great player who everyone spoke about.
Kakoma Kayonga
He played for Hwange and came from my village in Hwange. He mesmerised defenders on the wing for Marathon and Hwange FC. I wanted to do the kind of things Khumalo, Shaya and Kayonga did on the field with the ball. They were in control of it and decided what it should do, unlike others who seem to be controlled by the ball when playing. Kayonga on the wing was a marvel to watch.
Nyaro Mumba, Rodrick Simwanza, Isaac Phiri, Duli Ncube
These were heroes too, they made things happen and were much loved by the football family in Hwange.
Stanley Nkomo
Probably the best of our generation. He was an immaculate all-round star and playing alongside him at primary school and seeing him break into Hwange FC ahead of me was inspiring.
*Fabian Zulu went on to play for Notwane in Botswana where he won several championships and tournaments. When he retired, he went into management and is also a radio and television analyst. He is married to Marylene and has two children Fabiola and Joel Prince.