The Sunday News
IF having Madinda Ndlovu and Morgan Phiri on the flanks gave defenders a nightmare because of their pace, then the trio of Maxwell Dube, Phillip Marufu and Mbulelo Dube was hell.
Ndlovu and Phiri terrorised defenders on the wings for Bosso in 1983 and 1984 giving rise to the recognition of Bigboy Ndlovu as a good central striker.
The two Dubes and Marufu were partners in crime for Gweru side Chapungu FC in the 1990s into 2000s. The trio could have recorded good times in 60m sprints but what caught many’s attention was their ability to dribble on the run.
This week Sunday Life caught up with Mbulelo who since leaving the army in 2007 trained as a teacher.
He teaches at Mthombothemba on the outskirts of Bulawayo near Hope Fountain Mission.
Mbulelelo was born in Gweru 50 years ago and grew up in Vungu in Lower Gweru.
After attending Vungu Primary School where from the age of 10, he was a prominent player in the village, guiding the school to several finals after getting into the school team while in Grade Seven, Mbulelo moved to Fletcher High School in Gweru.
Mbulelo Dube
“It was not easy getting into the school team because of my small frame. I played in the village and there were often tug-of-wars as to who I should play for. At school teachers felt I was too brittle and would break a limb so they could not allow me.
“Back then it was soon after Independence and we had very big guys at school so comparing my frame to them teachers feared for my health.
“One day the teachers called us to fill in the numbers during an 11v11 game and I impressed as we beat the first team. I was called up to come the next day where I played Number 10 feeding this fast big boy and the rest is history as I became a regular in the first team,” he said.
Fletcher is remembered for academics and producing great players like Alick Mwanza, William Sibanda and Gibson Homela who were Zimbabwe Saints’ backbone in the 1960s.
“While at Fletcher I remember we used to compete with Ascot Secondary School who had in their books Bheki Mlotshwa and Stephen Zingwe. They were good opposition,” said Mbulelo.
After his rural grounding before he entered the teens, his dad began to allow him to spend holidays in Bulawayo.
Thulani “Biya” Ncube
“Guys like Biya (Thulani Ncube) used to stay close by. I would watch them play plastic balls and at times watch them. Methembe Ndlovu stayed across the road in the Ziyaphapha section of Gwabalanda and I would watch him at Amakhosi.
“My dad was very strict. He was pro- education and I used to sneak out to have a feel of the game with lads from close by,” said Mbulelo.
After completing O-levels Dube’s eyes were set on Highlanders.
“I knew I was good and that I would make the grade,” said Dube.
It never got to be as a job in the Airforce of Zimbabwe beckoned. He was engaged as an air defenceman in 1992.
It was while playing Wednesday afternoon sport that he caught the attention of Chapungu coach Lovemore Nyabeze.
“It was not by surprise that I impressed him, I knew I was good enough hence my desire to turn out for Bosso soon after school. But I weighed the options and felt a job gave me better satisfaction and security for me and my family,” said Mbulelo.
He said he found a good Chapungu side with players like mercurial Nkulumo Donga, Kenneth Phuthi, Kennedy Nagoli, Pascal Masamba, Gary Mkandawire, Bekezela Moyo, Xolani Tshuma and Nonhlanhla Moyo.
“I struggled at first as someone who had not played junior league football. My entry was unorthodox as a majority had come through junior development programmes, but when I eventually gelled in well with the rest, the team got the best out of me.
“In my first years I had Nkulumo, Jonah Chigwinya, Xolani Tshuma, Wellington Shangiwa, Cain Muteji, Lovemore Magaya and Masamba as my partners in attack but later I played alongside Maxwell Dube, Phillip Marufu and Dumisani Mupfudze. We were a formidable side under a very good coach who understood his players’ strengths,” said Mbulelo who was nicknamed after Italian legend Alessandra Del Piero.
During the 1996-97 seasons Mbulelo was loaned out to fellow Airforce side Blue Swallows of New Sarum base in Manyame, Harare.
In the August to May season of 1998-99, Mbulelo saw most of the action out after sustaining a serious ankle injury.
For a year he nursed his ankle and eventually fully recovered but it was never to be the same for the high flyer as most players tend to return and play with caution.
In the end the output is poor.
He was back on the field in 2000 but another blow came his career’s way this time in the form of a serious knee injury.
In 2001 he did duty for his country in the Democratic Republic of Congo bushes where Zimbabwe helped the mineral rich Central Africa country fight insurgents.
“I was back in 2002 but could not reach my peak form levels as I was unable to gain 100 percent fitness due to the nagging pain on my knee,” said Mbulelo.
In 2003 Chapungu were relegated and bounced back the following year.
During the 2005 and 2006 seasons Mbulelo was loaned out to prisons’ side Whawha.
“I retired from professional football in 2007. Most of the guys I played with Maxwell Dube, Clement Mugari, Clemency Zuze, Nkosithabile Nkala and Frank Phiri retired,” he said.
He said the club has struggled since then because of a no clear cut development programme to replace departing stars.
In 2007-2009 Dube lived in South Africa where he played alongside former AmaZulu leftback Goodson “Dolola” Gama.
“I survived in South Africa through playing money games,” said Mbulelo who retired at 35.
On his return Dube enrolled as a student teacher at United College of Education (UCE) and has been an educator since then.
He said during his time there were tough defenders like Watson Muhoni, James Matola, Asani Matora, Thulani Ncube, Dazzy Kapenya, Matambanashe Sibanda, Herbert Dick, David Mkandawire, Kaitano Tembo, Cleopas Dlodlo, Brian Njobvu and Farai Vandira.
“I was scared of Kaitano Tembo that he would break my legs and James Matola. These two were very hard to beat,” said the striker who was good at assists and scoring.
