STAR FOOTBALLER ANELE NGCONGCA LAID TO REST

Pictures by: Mlondolozi Mbolo

STAR FOOTBALLER ANELE NGCONGCA LAID TO REST

Family, friends and former teammates came to bid farewell to
championship-winning footballer Anele Ngcongca, who was laid to rest
in Cape Town following a funeral service held at the JL Zwane Church
in Gugulethu, on Thursday.

The erstwhile Sundowns right back, 33, passed away in November
following a car accident near Mthunzini in KwaZulu/Natal.
Gugulethu-born Ngcongca was on loan to DStv Premiership side AmaZulu
from Sundowns at the time of his death.

Ngcongca was in the Sundowns team, which won the treble under their
former coach and now Al Ahly mentor Pitso Mosimane, at the end of the
2019/2020 season.

The former Bafana Bafana defender was in the national team, which took
part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals held in South Africa.

Ngcongca’s football career took him to Belgium where he starred for
KRC Genk and as a result the Belgians have since retired jersey number
16.

All in all, Ngcongca played 37 942 minutes of professional football
excluding FC Fortune matches.

Sundowns entourage of coach Manqoba Mngqithi, Alex Shakoane, Trott
Moloto, Daniel Mudau, captain Hlompho Kekana, his teammates Themba
Zwane, Sibusiso Vilakazi, David Onyango and Andile Jali were among the
mourners.

Ngcongca’s aunt Ntombizodwa Magadlela read a touching message from the
deceased’s mother.

‘‘My son Anele I never thought this day would come, here am I my
child, uThixo usasithanda (God still loves us), uThixo usenenceba (God
is still merciful),’’ the message read.

‘‘I want to say thank you mntwana wam (my child), I will miss you my
boy, I will miss your smile and gentle soul. Umama wakho uyakuthanda
(your mother loves you), usebenzile mntwana wam (well done my child),
usebenzile nyana wam (well done my son). My God is still the same God,
I will continue trusting Him.’’

Mngqithi, who spoke on behalf of Sundowns, paid a glowing tribute to Ngcongca.

‘‘Anele carried himself differently, with a lot of respect, with a lot
of humility. You could see where he was raised,’’ Mngqithi said.

‘‘The players turn to laugh at me whenever I say there is one bird,
it’s probably the most beautiful bird, a peacock. When a peacock wants
to show you its beauty, that is how you show everybody how much you
have, how much you have achieved.

‘‘The way Anele carried himself I just felt it’s important for me to
touch. In a society we live in now at times we are too big for our
shoes. Anele was not like that for somebody, who achieved so much,
look at the trophies he won.

‘‘Anele was both selfless and humane. He was competing with Thapelo
(Morena) and he would coach Thapelo to be a better right back. He
always wanted Thapelo to play ahead of him. That’s how Anele was. It’s
very difficult to find fault in a human being like Anele.

‘‘Finally, it is very difficult to lose a bread winner. To ifamily
ka-Anele (Anele’s family)  I know this. I know this because I grew up
in conditions, which were not easy.’’

Kekana, who has played with Ngcongca both at Sundowns and Bafana
Bafana, was too emotional during the funeral. It was clear that
Ngcongca’s death had touched him in a big way.

‘‘You always met people with a great smile. I was staring at you
because you reminded me of my late brother. You always wanted to see
me doing well,’’ a tearful Kekana said.

Delivering a short message, Minister of Sport and Recreation Nathi
Mthethwa praised Ngcongca for being a good ambassador.

‘‘This is an important day to the whole community of Gugulethu. This
is a moment of reflection as has happened here. It’s not a joyful
moment even though we have been asked to celebrate the life of
Anele,’’ said Mthethwa.

‘‘Anele was a gentle giant of sport, who is described by his peers as
full of love and life. I can only imagine what the family is going
through. Anele remained a disciplined athlete and an ambassador for
our country. Anele personified what we want to see in this country.’’