Pictures by: Mlondolozi Mbolo
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has criticised the Democratic Alliance-led Western Cape government for failing to honour the late Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender Anele Ngcongca.
Mngqithi was speaking at Ngcongca’s funeral service held at the JL Zwane Church in Gugulethu, Cape Town, on Thursday.
Ngconga, 33, passed away in November following a car accident near
Mthunzini in KwaZulu/Natal. He was on loan at DStv Premiership side
AmaZulu from Sundowns at the time of his death.
Ngcongca played for Bafana Bafana and was part of the national team,
which took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals held in South
Africa.
Gugulethu-born Ngcongca also played for Belgian side KRC Genk.
‘‘To the government of the Western Cape, there is a saying that says
child favours a prepared mind. You knew you never played any role in
Anele’s success,’’ Mngqithi said.
‘‘You have deprived the black people of the Western Cape an
opportunity to celebrate the son of the soil. I have seen so many
people getting provincial funerals who I believe they were not even
worthy of them. I see a boy who left this province and went to fly the
flag of the Western Cape and represented you with pride, dignity and
honour, but was not even honoured.’’
The former Lamontville Golden Arrows mentor didn’t mince his words
firing another broadside at the Western Cape government.
‘‘I believe you have deprived the black child an opportunity to see a
real role model, an opportunity to celebrate one of the black exports
in this country,’’ Mngqithi said.
‘‘Whatever he achieved should be a clear signal to us that this has to
be celebrated. If the government does not see a need to celebrate
Anele’s life, who else?
‘‘Only a few know how we are celebrating the life of this diamond that
came in a small package. If the leadership were honest, trustworthy
and humane they would have seen a need to honour the life of Anele.
‘‘To all of us here let’s take out what we can take home and leave
with. At times things don’t turn out the way you want them to be. Stay
humble and be respectful, that is the value and standard Anele lived
with. Those words are enough to make me happy and I have said what I
wanted to say.’’
Ngcongca’s former Sundowns teammates Hlompho Kekana, Themba Zwane, Sibusiso Vilakazi, David Onyango and Andile Jali attended the funeral together with club officials Alex Shakoane, Trott Moloto and Daniel Mudau.
