FORMER Young Warriors star, Gift “Memiza” Zulu says his story must motivate the next generation of football stars as waywardness denied him a chance to eke out a living out of the game.
He had made it at 16 to the national Under -20 team and a few knocks and bad company derailed his progression.
He found himself in the wrong company and drinking a lot and that led him to be frustrated and lose it all. “Drinking or taking any substances solves nothing. Your problems mount and you lose out on a lot, self respect, community and opportunities become fewer,” said Zulu.
He said if he had good guidance from the family and friends he could have gone far because breaking into the U-20 teams and playing with the likes of Vusa Nyoni, Ephraim Mazarura, David Sengu meant he too was good. Zulu has since received the Lord and works fulltime at the church and even had a white wedding.
“Life came 360 degrees on me and I found my footing and saved my life from further deterioration by accepting Christ as my saviour,” said Zulu.
Zulu was born in Bulawayo 39 years ago and was raised by his mother and maternal relatives.
He attended Mzilikazi Primary School and proceeded to Mzilikazi High for his secondary education, already an established junior development star.
Like most boys from Mzilikazi, the football bug back then was hard to ignore. While in Grade Five, Zulu and his friends would go to Barbourfields Stadium’s grounds to watch other juniors and play ball .
“So, one afternoon, Highlanders juniors coach, Albert Dube better known as Ali did not have many Under-13s, so he needed more personnel for his drills to come through. “That is how I joined organised junior development,” said Zulu. “My first game was the Progressive Marketing Trophy for Under-13s, which we lost 1-0 to Young Blood, they were an organised team,” said Zulu of the Magwegwe side.
He was just 10 in 1995 and playing alongside players like Elson Phiri, Johnstone Shumbarume, Fortune Muketiwa and Malvern Moyo who were older though. “The following year, 1996, I was voted Under-15s Player of the Year, playing alongside Keith Dangarembwa,Vusa Nyoni, Edward Tembo, Thembani Masuku, Kelvin Dube,” said Zulu. In the junior development league, players pay allegiance to their coach than the institution, so when Ali Dube crossed the floor from Highlanders to Railstars, his boys followed him and Zulu was among those youngsters in 1998. “We liked Dube, we were learning from him and he was a household name who had coached big players, we all wanted to emulate,” said Zulu.
“Some of the guys were Johannes Ngodzo, Ngqabutho Sibanda, Nqobile Sibanda, Mtewa Masuku and Patson Rungisa who left for Railstars,” said Zulu. In 2000, Zulu joined AmaZulu under former Shushine star Martin Ncube and Gift “Soft” Banda. They were later joined by another group of youngsters who came from Zimbabwe Saints mainly from Nguboyenja with Surgery Mpofu.
Zulu a talented teenager then, who could play as a striker or attacking midfielder, rose through Under-17s and 19s, in no time, he was with the reserve team. He pays tribute to his former coaches and his favourite Charles Mhlauri.
At 16 in 2001, he was part of the AmaZulu side that knocked out Eiffel Flats in the Zifa Cup winning 3-2 after senior players protested over the delay in the payment of their bonuses.
“I was part of the Bulawayo junior select side that charmed Clemens Westerhof. In 2001 and 2002, I was part of the Young Warriors team under Phillip Mbofana and Nelson Matongorere and my teammates were Vusa Nyoni, Mkhokheli Dube, Tapuwa Kapini, Mthulisi Maphosa, Mtshumayeli Moyo, Ephraim Mazarura, David Sengu, Nyasha Chazika and Samson Choruwa. “We travelled to Seychelles and Swaziland and was great being part of the Under-20s.
“Because I broke into the team at 16, I was still eligible up to end of 2004 hence was able to play alongside Obidiah Tarumbwa, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Louis Matawu, Masset Zengeni, Gilbert Mapemba and Evans Chikwayikwayi,” said the now servant of the Lord.
He said looking at who he played with, there is no doubt he was a rough diamond that needed polishing on and off the pitch.
After years on the rough side of life in Mzilikazi, he sat down and introspected into his life episodes since his break into national junior sides and his decline in talent and as a human being.
Prophet Bruce Edwards helped Zulu change his ways in 2016 and he became a member of Prophet Chiza’s church.
He is now a member of the Kingdom Empowerment Centre where he is a senior usher.
“If I had found God during my youth, I would have been a better player and person,” said Zulu.
To the youngsters, Zulu says they must choose friends wisely, be guided by family and society in morale and to stay away from drug and substance abuse.
“Another thing, when you break into professional football, don’t stay in the same community where you are idolised, go elsewhere where you will be a small fish and concentrate on your game and life,” said Zulu who was nicknamed “Memiza” and “Hurricane Hugo” because of his pace.
