The Sunday News
Danisa Masuku
FOOTBALL legend Shadreck Ngwenya passed away last Monday. This week Sunday Life carries one of the interviews given by the former Dynamos and national team defensive stalwart that appeared in this publication on 23 April last year.
“I was nervous. I was sweating. My legs were trembling.”
Ngwenya was a long way from Mzilikazi in Bulawayo where he grew up, a long way from his family too. He was on a football pitch in South Africa.
It was in July 1978. It was also “the interesting moment of my life,” he says. “There is a lot to discuss,” he said as he eased into a swivel chair.
From playing for Chibuku Shumba, Eastlands, Bulawayo Civils, his glittering stint both at Dynamos and Moroka Swallows, his coaching career to the collapse of his marriage.
But first, this: He earned the name Stork Margarine after he featured on national television advertising Stork Margarine. Ngwenya grew up in Mzilikazi, a “rough” environment. It was a place where drugs and alcohol were the only way to make one high. He joined the band wagon!
“It was the kind of place that shaped you . . . the things you learn and see on the street mould your character,” he says.
He says his “brain” and his football talent and a burning passion to play soccer were his way out. Growing up, he knew he had a gift, the ability to see what was next. He was a goalkeeper when he kick-started his football career at Eastlands but he was converted to a defender.
“It so happened that a full back was not around on that particular day. The coach picked me to play in that position. Although it was a bit challenging I played well in that position. That became my position for my entire career,” he says.
Before long the steely, towering defender decided to pack his bags and joined Chibuku Shumba, which was a multi-racial team.
It was in Division One and was coached by Ken Fulton. After a short stint with Chibuku Shumba, Stork Margarine joined Bulawayo Civils but he spent only a season there.
His rare flair in thwarting opposition and attacking ability was a plus for him to be noticed by the Dynamos scouts. The DeMbare scouts lured him to join DeMbare, he snapped the golden chance.
He joined luminaries like Daniel “Dhidhidi” Ncube, Oliver “Flying Saucer” Kateya, Benard Chidziva, Simon Sachiti, Shepherd Murape, Sunday (Marimo) Chidzambwa, Sebastian Chikwature, David Mandigora, George “Mastermind” Shaya, Mathew Mwale and Isaac Nhema, David Phiri, Charles Gwatidzo, Benard Chidziva, Hilario Nengari, John Revai, Kuda Muchemeyi, Enock “Mujibha” Pakamisa, George Yoyo, Cremio Mapfumo, Isaac Nhema.
He has good memories of his stay at Dynamos as he regards the 1976 squad as one of his best ever.
“We won the league championship in 1976, and won five of the six knock-out tournaments. But we lost to Zimbabwe Saints in the final of the Chibuku of Trophy. During that season we scored 67 goals in 19 Cup fixtures,” he said.
Playing attacking football that was some light years ahead of the time, Dynamos thrashed Zimbabwe Saints 8-1 in the final of the Castle Cup and hammered Chibuku 8-0 in the final of the Nyore Nyore shield with the late Daniel “Dhidhidhi” Ncube scoring five times.
And after the historic achievement of helping Dynamos to win the Southern Africa Club Championship, the red hot Ngwenya was quickly scouted by one South Africa’s top clubs Moroka Swallows who snapped him in May 1979 for his third professional stint in Mzansi.
Ngwenya was part of that red-hot Dynamos squad that was nicknamed “Hainangozi” and lifted the South Africa Club Championship after beating one of South Africa’s top side — Orlando Pirates in 1976. In an epic battle at packed and soaked iconic Rufaro Stadium in 1976, Pirates were drubbed 4-1 by the on fire Dynamos. Pirates had to come into the game with a two-goal difference advantage from the first leg that was, however, wiped out, enabling Dynamos to lift the Southern Africa Cup Club Championship. Dynamos beat Pirates 7-6 on aggregate over two legs (they lost first leg 3-5 in Johannesburg before winning the second leg 4-1 at Rufaro) to be crowned the champions of Southern Africa.
The battle of the titans was an emotional affair for the jewels of Southern Africa.
“After the bitter loss the Crown of Prince Jomo Sono cried after the match,” he said during the interview while sipping a whisky.
In fact, Ngwenya, had a meteoric rise to stardom, making his first international debut barely a season in the elite league in 1969. He was part of the then Rhodesia national team that played Australia in a World Cup qualifier at Laurenco Marques (now Maputo) in Mozambique. Racism was the order of the day in those days.
“When we played teams like Salisbury Callies they would not allow us into the dressing room. Black players were ordered to change where equipment for the facility and things like white wash were kept,” he shared.
His sublime performances during the Southern Africa Cup charmed the hearts of Moroka Swallows’ scouts who quickly noticed him and as such approached then club chairperson Morrison Sifelani and the chairman convinced him to take a deal in South Africa.
They also wanted George Shaya but he turned down the offer. In his place the scouts approached a Zimbabwe Saints defender Max “Shaluza” Chuma who grabbed the offer.
He remembers one day in South Africa. It was on a Saturday afternoon when Ngwenya headed into the pitch, behind him was his compatriot Chuma. His team was clashing against Highlands Park.
“It was my first time playing on foreign soil before a capacity crowd and I knew I had to deliver as the Swallows mentor had shown faith in me and I knew if I disappointed I would have let down the then Dynamos chairman Sifelani because he had shown much confidence in me,” he said.
“I remember that match turned out to be the best of my matches as I scored four goals. I scored three goals through a header and a set piece,” he recalls.
The following day a headline in one of the South African daily newspapers screamed: If Highlands Park had a licence to kill they would have chopped off Shadreck Stork Margarine Ngwenya’s head.
But in the second season Stork Margarine failed to live up to his billing as he did not score any goal during that season. He recalls one game when his outfit was trounced 4-0 by University of Cape Town.
He says the match was poorly officiated. He bitterly says: “Out of that chaotic but enticing afternoon I was sent packing for a crude tackle on a University of Cape Town striker.”
That marked the end of his dance with Moroka Swallows. When he came home during the season break he decided not to return to Swallows.
Seeing that he was not performing to their best Stork Margarine and Shaluza decided not to return to Swallows.
Swallows officials came to Zimbabwe and tried to entice them but the two had arrived at a firm decision not to return to South Africa.
“They came here and told us that they needed us very much and they would facilitate that we get a citizenship there and become South Africans so that when we hang our boots we contribute to the development of soccer there. My wife agreed but Shaluza influenced me not to return and said we should stay put and enjoy the country’s independence,” he says.
He then joined Black Aces. He spent a season with that outfit and hung his boots for a coaching career. He mentored Wrinster FC, a Division One outfit. While he was at Wrinster FC, Kadoma United officials enticed him to join their side.
He snapped the opportunity. The outfit was in Division Two at the time. He says his team finished the season with 38 goals and on top spot. He helped the side to be promoted into Division One in 1985.
While with Kadoma United Ngwenya won the Natbrew Under-18 tournament, he stayed with the Kadoma side up to 1988. He returned to Bulawayo and took up a coaching job at the prison outfit — Ntabazinduna. He quit the job in 2012.
The team faced financial problems and he had to quit to set up a homestead at Ntabazinduna, just outside Bulawayo.
He was a full time farmer. He was married to Grace Mhlanga. They later divorced. Ngwenya has four children namely Patience, Memory, Janet and Caroline.
Quotable quotes
(1) His reaction after cheating Highlanders of the league title in 1976?
“At times in sport you celebrate cheating and we had no choice but to celebrate. But these days there is emphasis on fair play. I do not think I would celebrate that. (Needing just a draw, Highlanders did not travel to Barbourfields because the pitch was waterlogged. The Rhodesia National Football Club led by John Madzima and Peter Nemapare was advised by Highlanders and Bulawayo City Council and awarded Dynamos a walkover which saw DeMbare clinching the championship. We probably deserved the league title because we had worked hard during that season.
(2) Despite an enjoyable stay in South Africa he had to come home.
“It’s a decision I regret up to this day. I should have stayed on. Zimbabwe was attaining its Independence in 1980 and John Madzima the then football boss threatened that we would be banned if we stayed in South Africa who were in international isolation. I believe Madzima wanted all the players who were based in South Africa to be available for national duty.
(3) How did you rate the South African game?
Most of the players played to the gallery and you would even see a player back heeling a pass to the goalkeeper. But they had skill and passion for sport.
I remember the late Onias Musana was at Swallows, he would get the ball and race towards the goal area but no one would support him. When he was deposed his team mates would say “hey, play the ball to our feet, don’t run away with it.”
He had fond memories playing against big names such as Shakes Mashaba: “I played alongside Andreas Maseko, Joel ‘Ace’ Mnini at Swallows . They were good players and a delight to have in the team.
Ngwenya was laid to rest last Thursday at Mathilika Cemetery in Ntabazinduna. His burial was attended by Agent Sawu, Lawrence Phiri, Douglas “British” Mloyi and Daniel Bingadadi.
