FORMER AmaZulu, Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints player Nqobizitha Maenzanise who died on Sunday was given a hero’s send-off yesterday with a number of soccer players, administrators and legends paying their last respects.
THANDIWE MOYO/ SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA
A church service was held at the Bulawayo Baptist Church before the legendary player was laid to rest at West Park Cemetery yesterday morning.
Businessman and former AmaZulu boss Delma Lupepe heaped praises on the late Warriors legend.
“It is a fact that AmaZulu would not have been promoted to the Premier League, let alone won the championship, if it were not for Maenzanise. He was a true leader on the pitch and people like Mkhuphali Masuku cut their teeth through him,” he said.
“He had great skill, but unfortunately as AmaZulu we got him at about 32 or 33 years. With the right guidance he would have played in Europe. He was a tough tackler and a true anchorman.”
After winning the championship with AmaZulu in 2003, Maenzanise quit football.
Lupepe said Humpty or Jackal, as he was known, lost out on an opportunity to play overseas because of lack of guidance.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“He had potential and skills and could have played overseas if he had a manager who was going to guide him and give him direction. He could read the game and had a true understanding of the game. Had he gone into coaching, he would have been a good coach. Unfortunately, football has no structure to follow up on the players and help them get badges or certificates,” he said.
Lupepe said Maenzanise was a unifier as he played for the city’s three rivals Zimbabwe Saints, AmaZulu and Highlanders.
“In life and death he was a unifier. He has also brought together AmaZulu, Zimbabwe Saints and Highlanders. He had also accepted Christ as his personal Saviour and also unified Christians,” he added.
Former AmaZulu coach Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu said it was sad that most of the players that he had travelled with to Scotland had since passed away.
He said Maenzanise always gave 300% and was a fighter when it came to football.
“He was the main actor when AmaZulu won the championship in 2003. He was a fighter. It is sad that most of the players that went to Scotland on July 20 1987 have since passed away. Nine of those players graduated to play for the Highlanders senior team and some played for the Under-23 national team,” he said.
Zulu said Maenzanise had skill and was voted man-of-the-tournament in Scotland when they won the tournament.
“He also worked hard at AmaZulu and we won the Independence Trophy and later the championship. He always gave 300% in everything he did. He wanted to be a coach and was educated so it was easy for me to guide him and show him what he was meant to do,” he said.
Another former AmaZulu and Zimbabwe Saints coach Philimon Dangarembwa said he was deeply saddened by Maenzanise’s death.
In his eulogy, Dangarembwa read a card that came from former players based overseas. The card was signed by Muzondiwa Mugadza, Emmanuel Khumalo, Eugene Langa, Matambanashe Sibanda and Lloyd Jowa.
Former AmaZulu captain Ferdinand Mwanchindalo said Maenzanise was a committed player.
“I have just arrived from Masvingo to pay my last respects. Maenzanise had very good leadership skills and was very friendly to everyone in the team. He was always encouraging us.
“Even at training he did not want us to lose. If you lost even at training he would not want to be in the same team with you. He was a very disciplined player,” he said.
Former AmaZulu and Highlanders player Mkhuphali Masuku also echoed the same sentiments.
“You would never see him anywhere besides the pitch. If he was not training he would be at home. One thing about him was that he did not want to lose any match even at training because he always wanted to be a winner. He was a difficult person to handle sometimes because he was moody,” said Masuku.
How Mine captain Hebert Dick said: “When I came to AmaZulu, he was already a senior player. He was a good leader and very hardworking. He always used to be the first to arrive at training together with Mwanchindalo. It is so sad because I last saw him last year. I did not even know that he was sick,” said the former AmaZulu defender.
His former teammate at Zimbabwe Saints and AmaZulu, Nkosana Gumbo also spoke about his relationship with the former Warriors man.
“I was very close to him. We were friends because we both liked reggae. But one thing about him was that he was at times very difficult to understand. He was very moody, but was dedicated to football. I am very saddened by his departure,” he said.
Highlanders manager Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo who also played along the legendary Warriors player also described him as a hard worker.
“When he got into the first team in the 1980s, he was willing to learn. He was a very fast and brilliant player,” he said.
Another player who also played with Maenzanise at AmaZulu, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele said: “I played with him in the Highlanders Under 14 and 16 teams. We later reunited at AmaZulu. He had great exceptional skills and was a cut above the rest. He was a good dribbler and a tackler. When I took over the armband from him it was very difficult because he had left the team when it was at a very high level. So I had to maintain that,” he said.
Isaac Riyano described the late Maenzanise as a talented player.
“What was said in the church service sums up what kind of a person he was. He was very intelligent and every talented. You could see that he had a God-given talent,” he said.
Former Highlanders striker Nkululeko Dlodlo said: “He was a good and very talented player. He was a team player and would motivate players to work hard. It is a very big loss.”
