Rendzo ra Gezani Mashaba

Themba Chauke

Gezani Mashaba a nga si tshama a languta bolo tanihi ntlangu wo tiphina ntsena. Kambe eka yena a ku ri mpfumawulo wa vutomi bya yena hinkwabyo. Rendzo ra yena ri sungule khale hi lembe ra 1970, loko a ha ri xijahetana xa malembe ya ntsevu. Mashaba u sungurile kuva xiphemu xa ntlangu wa bolo ya milenge loko a ha ri xichudeni exikolweni xa tidyondzo tale hansi xa Tlangelani eka Mudavula ehandle nyana ka Malamulele.

Hikwalaho ka rivilo ni ku olova ka yena loko a ri nkarhi a tlanga bolo, Mashaba u vile a thyiwa vito ra “Tiger”. Tiger swivula xiharhi xa Ngwetsi, leswi swivula leswaku Mashaba aa ri na matimba, vuswikoti na rivilo ephakati ka rivala ra ntlangu.  Mashaba u hatlile a vona vuswikoti lebyi a ri na byona eka ntlangu wa bolo ya milenge a hari ntsongo, naswona swin’wi pfunile ku n’wi pfulela minywangwa ya madyelo ya rihlaza.

Hi lembe ra 1986, Mashaba aari jaha ntiyela ra malembe ya 22. U vile a kunguhata ku simeka rhavi ra xipano xa Xikukwani Black Rovers emugangeni wa Giyani a tlhela a va murhangeri wa xona, tlhelo a va n’watipempe wa mitlangu ya bolo. Swiboho leswi swita ehlandle ka loko a tsemile ndzilikano exikarhi ka yena na kuva mutlangi wa bolo ya milenge endzhaku ka khume-ntsevu wa malembe. Rendzo ra yena ri vile ri hlohloteriwa ngopfu hikuva a ri mudyonzisi hi mfanelo ya vuswikoti, leswi swi n’wu pfunile kuva murhangeri hiku hetiseka.

Hi lembe leri landzelaka, Mashaba u yisile emahlweni mintirho ya ku navela ka yena lokunene. U simekile nhluvukiso wa bolo hi ku vumba liga ya vana va majaha va suka eka malembe ya 12 ku ya ehenhla etikweni ra ka Xikukwani ni le matikweni ya le kusuhi. Pfhumbha leri ri vile na nkoka swinene eku tumbuluxeni ka vatlangi van’wana va xiyimo xa le henhla.

Mashaba u kongomisile malembe yo ringana khume-nharhu eku dzabeleni ka vana va malembe ya le hansi ka 13 ku sukela hi 1994 ku fikela 2024. U vile a dzabela xipano xa vana va xikolo xa todyondzo ta le hansi xa Mashengani, a va letela xikan’we naku va komba ndlela ku suka ehansi. Nhlohlotelo na matirhelo ya yena exikolweni a ya hundza leswi aa languteriwile ku tirhisa xiswona aka xiphemu xa yena.

Hi 1996, u hlawuriwile tanihi Mupfhumbha Lonkulu wa Giyani School Sports Association, nhlawulo lowu wu n’wi pfunile ku nghena etinhlelweni ta vulawuri bya mitlangu ya le xikolweni. Ku nga si fika malembe manharhu endzhaku ka sweswo, u vile Mutshamaxitulu wa South African Schools Football Association [SASFA], xiyimo lexi a xi hlayisile ngopfu ku hundza khume wa malembe.

Endzhaku ka malembe yo hlaya, Mashaba u vile munhu wa nkoka swinene eka nhluvukiso wa bolo ya le matiko-xikaya. Ku sukela hi lembe ra 2000 ku ya fika 2005, u rhangerile mitirho ya nkoka eka SAFA-Greater Giyani Local Football Association, laha a ri murhangeri wa liga ya nhluvukiso ya vatlangi va bolo, endzhaku ka sweswo a vile murhangeri wa nhluvukiso wa bolo.

Mabunda u tlhele a kota ku letela swipano swa xifundzha eka mphikizano ya tiko ra Afrika-Dzonga. U rhangerile na xipano xa vana va malembe ya le hansi ka 17 eka mphikizano wa National Coca-Cola Challenge ePretoria hi lembe ra 2003, xikan’we na xipano xa vana va malembe ya le hansi ka 13 eka mphikizano wa Transnet National Tournament ePort Elizabeth hi lembe leri landzeleke.

Hokokwalaho ka mitirho ya yena, u kotile ku siya xiviko lexinene hikuva a kotile ku hlula mphikizano wa U17 eka mphikizano wa O.R. Tambo Games hi lembe ra 2003, kutani a kuma xidlodlo xa nsuku. U tlhele a kota ku rhangela ntlawa wa xipano xa vana va malembe ya le hansi ka 13 eka mphikizano wa Olympia Park Stadium eRustenburg, a tlhela a rhangela xipano xa vana va U12 eka Eskom Football Tournament hi lembe rin’we.

Mashaba u yile mahlwenia siya xiviko hikokwalaho ka mitirho ya yena, laha hi lembe ra 2006 a nga kota ku fikelela mbuyelo wa medali ya silivhere na xipano xa vana va malembe ya le hansi ka 17 eka mphikizano wa mitlangu ya O.R. Tambo. Hambiswiritano, nhluvukiso wa Mashaba a wu nga yi hi rimbewu, a swi katsa na mitlangu ya tintombi. Ku sukela hi lembe ra 2008 ku fikela 2010, tirhile tanihi Murhangeri na Nhloko yava N’watipempe wa xipano xa Hungasani Women FC, lexi a xi tlanga eka Liga ya SAFA MOPANI ABSA.

Mudzaberi wa xipano xa Phalaborwa United hi wun’wana wa vanhu lava van ga hundza hi le mavokweni ya Mashaba, naswona xipano xakwe xi tlakuseriwile eka ABC Motsepe League. Mashaba u boxa leswaku Mudzaberi wa xipano xa Phalaborwa a kuri n’watipala wa yena exikolweni xa Mashengani.

Vurhangeri bya yena a byi ndlandlamukile ku fikela eka vurhangeri bya le henhla bya ntlangu wa bolo. U khomile xitulu xo tanihi ku va Mupfhumba Lonkulu wa Greater Giyani Sports and Recreation Council, a va Murhangeri wa Nhluvukiso eka Mopani District Sports and Recreation Council, a tlhela a va Mudirekitara eka hofisi ya Meyara wa Greater Giyani Municipality exikarhi ka 2004 na 2011.

U yile emahlweni a kombisa vutihlamuleri bya yena byo hambana-hambana hi ku tirha tanihi Head of Legal and Constitutional Affairs wa SAFA Mopani, a ri na vutihlamuleri eka bodo ya swikombelo na komiti ya bolo. Endzhaku ka ku tirha ku tlula malembe ya makume nharhu eka bolo, ku tiyimisela ka Mashaba ka ku kulisa vatlangi ni ku tumbuluxa vuswikoti bya bolo ya milenge a ku ri xigwevo xa lembe na lembe eka yena.

Ku sukela hi 2022, u tirhile nakambe eka SAFA-GGLFA [South African Football Association-Greater Giyani Local Football Association], a ri Head of Football Development, Head of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, naswona a ri na vutihlamuleri byo va Chairperson wa Disciplinary Committee.

Hi ku languta matimu ya yena, Mashaba a nga hanyanga ku fikelela vito ra yena ra “Tiger” ntsena, kambe a simekile mbuyelo lowu nga heriki eka bolo ya xifundzha xa Limpopo. Ku sukela eka matlhelo ya le hansi ku fika eka matlhelo ya xifundzhwana, nhluvukiso wa Mashaba eka vatsongo, bolo ya vaxisati ni vulawuri bya mitlangu byi n’wi endla munhu loyi a hloniphekaka swinene eka bolo ya le xikolweni na miganga ya Afrika-Dzonga.