Kungenzeka ukuba ubethwe kuyo yomine imilo yakhe yokugqibela, kodwa owayeyintshatsheli yoMzantsi Afrika nowalwa kwimidlalo ye-Olimpiki yango-2004 uBongani ‘Wonderboy’ Mahlangu akakazilungiseleli ukushiya emanqindini njengokuba esafuna ukuqhubela phambili esilwa.
Oku kudizwe ngumqeqeshi nokwangumninawa wakhe uSandile Mahlangu njengokuba ebechitha amarhe athi lentshatsheli yamhlamnene yodidi lwejunior-featherweight eMzantsi Afrika, enqunyanyiswe kumjikelo wesithandathu nguKaya Mlata kulenyanga ephelileyo, izakuyeka ukulwa.
“Hayi, ayikho into enjalo. UBongani usezakuqhubela phambili namanqindi. Sisaphumlile okwangoku, sizakubuya sithabathise,” utshilo uSandile.
UMahlangu, oneminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu nowaphumelela intshinga yoMzantsi Afrika izihlandlo ezimbini, nguye kuphela imbethi-manqindi enonyana okwayimbethi-manqindi.
Unyana wakhe uBheki Maitse yintshatsheli ye-African Boxing Union (ABU) SADC kudidi losiba, kwaye ubekwa kwindawo yesihlanu kuluhlu lweembethi-manqindi zaseMzantsi Afrika.
UMahlangu waqala waphumelela intshinga yoMzantsi Afrika emva kokunqumamisa uSiviwe Hasheni kumjikelo wethoba eMdantsane Indoor Sports Centre ngoMatshi 2015. Emva kokuyikhusela izihlandlo ezimbini, uMahlangu waphulukana netshinga yakhe ebethwa nguLudumo Lamati ngo-Epreli 2017.
UMahlangu kwamthabatha isithuba esingaphaya kweminyaka emihlanu ngaphambi kokuyiphumelela kwakhona intshinga yoMzantsi Afrika njengokuba wanqumamisa u-Ayabonga Sonjica kumjikelo wesithandathu e-Orient Theatre, KuGompo City, ngoJulayi 2022. Waphinda waphulukana naloontshinga kwakhona emva kokubethwa nguSiyabulela Hem ngoSeptemba 2014. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
