World XI Vs Africa XI
Ngo 2007, okwakuhlelwe kuwo imigubho eminingi wokubungaza usuku lokuzalwa luka Mandela eneminyaka engu 89, kwahlagana abantu abangu 35 000 eNewlands Rugby Stediyamu kusebusika eCape Town bezobukela umdlalo webhola phakathi kwe World XI and an African XI.
Lomgubho wabizwa ngokuthi Ngowamaminithi angu 90 okubungaza uMandela futhi ungowokuqokelela izimali ngaphansi kombhidlango we FIFA owawuthi ‘Ithi Cha ekucwaseni ngebala’ ('Say No to Racism’) nebithathwa njngebalulekile ngo Mandela.
Abakwa FIFA bathula umbhidlango wokulwa ngokucwasa ngebala ngo2006 ukuze banqande okwase kuyinkinga ekhulayo abadlali bekhacwa izibukeli ezibathandayo ngobuhlanga babo, ikakhulukayi kwelase Europe, yize noma nabadlali baseNingizimu Afrika nabo beke babhekana nesimo esifanayo sokukhacwa.
Usuku olwandulela i kick-off uMandela wanikezwa ijezi lakhe lomdlalo webhola elalinenombolo 89 ngemuva. Ngaphambili lalinenombolo yakhe yasejele u - 46664 – okwakugqamisa umbhidlango wokwazisa umhlaba wonke nge HIV/AIDS.
Ithi Cha Ekucwaseni Ngebala
Mandela said he was deeply honoured by FIFA's tribute but modestly pointed out that 'it must always be remembered that I was one of many who fought for freedom from tyranny and racism'. UMandela wathi wazizw ehloniphekile ngokubungazwa abe FIFA kodwa wakubeka kwacaca kuthu ‘kumele njalo kukhunjulwe ukuthi ngangingomunye wabaningi abalwela inkululeko nombuso wengcindezelo kanye nokucwasa ngokwebala.
Amaqembu womabili aqgoka ngendlela ethi ‘Cha ekucwaseni Ngebala’ iqembu lase Afrika laligqoke umfaniswano wejezi elimhlophe kuthi abadlala nalo lagqoka omnyama. Umdlalo wahlonipha iqembu lebhola elasungulwa ejele lase Robben Island iziboshwa ngesikhathi no Mandela esejele esiqhingini, i-Makana Football Association, nayo eyahambisa ngemigomo elawulwa i FIFA.
uMandela wayelibuka ibhla esesiseleni sejele ngoba babangamuvumeli ukuthi ahlanganyele nabadlali ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bakha udonga ukuze bamuvimbele ukuba akwazi ukulibuka.
Kungaphezulu Komdlalo nje
Ngosuku lawo umdlalo, Usekela mongameli we FIFA uJack Warner wanikeza ubulunga obugcwele nokuhlonipha be FIFA kwiqembu. Ebonga abe FIFA, uNelson Mandela waphendula ngenkulumo eyayiqoshiwe eyadlala kumabonakude omkhulu, ‘Ngesikhathi seminyaka yobunzima ngiboshiwe, le asosiyesheni yadonsela kuyo zonke iziboshwa ezazisesiqhingini yazenza ukuba zidlale umdlalo omuhle webhola lezinyawo.
Ngalendlela yasiza ukuba kuphakanyiswe izindlela ezinhle zokubandakanya nokubuyisana, kanye nokungabikhona kokucwasana kube nokuthula okuyizinto ezisakhethekile kuthina sonke kuze kube namuhla. Waqhubeka wathi, lomdlalo ungaphezulu komdlalo nje, kodwa umele amandla ebhola lezinyawo okuhlanganisa abantu ndawonye bevela emhlabeni wonke, ngale kokuthi bakhuluma luphi ulimi nomake umbala wesikhumba sabo.
Abaqavile Ebholeni Lezinyawo Babekhona
Umdlali oqavile unenminyaka engamashumi ayisithuoha nesithupha weqembu lase Brazille u-Pele wayekhona futhi wakhahlela ibhola okokuqala ukungenisa i World XI, ukwenza lokhu emva kweminyaka engamashumi amathathu asula kwezemidlalo. Wakhuluma ngokuzizwa ehloniphekile ngokuba bamenze aba yingxenye yokwakuqhubeka ngoba naye wayefunde izifundo eziningi ku Mandela.
Kumele siqhubeke silwe egameni lokuhlonipha Umnu Mandela simelane ngokucwasa ngokwebala nokucwasa ngokobuhlanga. Owase Liberia uGeorge Weah, owayengumdlali womhlaba wonyaka nowaziwa ngokuthi wahluleka kumbhidlango wokuba ngoMongameli wezwe lase Liberia wabeka kanje ‘Ngiyindodana ka Mandela.Ungikhuthazile walwela Inkabezwe yethu.
Ukhuthaze izigidi emhkabeni wonke jikelele’, kwathi oneminyaka engu 45 owake waba ngumdlali ophambili wonyaka e Europe nowayengugadli u Ruud Gullit wathi isifundo ngempilo ka Mandela ukuthi ithemba liyohlezi likhona. Uma ukholelwa kuwe uphinde ukulwele okufunayo kanzima uzokuphumelela.’ Imiphumela kwaba amathatha ngapha namathathu ngapha.
Translated by Nokubonga Guliwe