The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE international rugby players, Shayne Makombe and Njabulo Ndlovu recently graduated with bachelor’s degrees from South African universities.
Makombe graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Psychology and Business Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal while Ndlovu made off with a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Western Cape.
Both players have been juggling representing the country in both sevens as well as fifteens rugby and their studies in South Africa.
The 25-year-old Makombe was based at the Pietermaritzburg campus and started studying at UKZN from January 2014 until his graduation on 11 April 2017. Makombe, who plays outside centre as well as wing in fifteens and hooker in sevens, was on a rugby scholarship. He is a product of Churchill High School where he finished his Advanced Level in 2010.
“I was based at Pietermaritzburg Campus. I started studying in January 2014 and graduated 11 April 2017. I was on a rugby scholarship. I went to Churchill Boys High School, I did my A-levels there and was deputy head boy and rugby captain in 2010. I also represented Zimbabwe Under-19s in Kenya the same year,’’ said Makombe.
On how he managed to focus on his studies and turning out for his country, Makombe pointed out that it took a lot of dedication. He expressed his appreciation to the national coaches and team managers who assisted him with logistics around his studies. His lecturers also played a part in allowing him to make up for lessons he missed out on.
“Balancing school and international rugby was taxing and it requires an awful lot of determination, discipline and hard work.
I missed a lot of classes but I was also organised in that I arranged with my lecturers, took advantage of the e-learning facilities while I liased with department heads at university. I was disciplined enough to study during our spare time on tour too so while others went shopping and touring sometimes I would remain in the hotel and study or read on the plane.
“I must extend my gratitude to the coaches and administrators from UKZN and Zim rugby, at the time coach Nyamutsamba (Gilbert) and Hondo (Daniel) allowed me to come in a day later or leave straight after a tournament and former vice-president Colleen De Jong and managers Steve McDonald, John Ewing and Donald Mangenje helped me with travel logistics around my academic schedule. This allowed me to live my dream while harnessing the opportunity to secure my future after rugby,’’ Makombe said.
His focus is now on his job at a Pietermaritzburg snacks producing firm where he is employed as a training manager. With regards to his rugby career, Makombe said he is keen to fight for place in the Cheetahs squad for the Africa Cup, which will be played in November this year and serves as a qualifier for next year’s Sevens Rugby World C up to be staged in the United States of America.
“I am currently employed as a training manager at a local Pietermaritzburg snacks manufacturing company. My immediate focus is on settling in at work and preparing to get a spot in the team to play in the Africa Sevens world cup qualifiers later in the year,’’ said Makombe who has 10 Sables caps having made his debut in 2011 against Uganda with his first appearance for the Cheetahs in 2013 versus Argentina.
Since 2014, Makombe has represented UKZN Impi in the Varsity Shield and KZN Premier Division. Makombe and Ndlovu join their Cheetahs as well as Sables teammate, wing Tafadzwa Chitokwindo who graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree majoring in Economics and Management from Rhodes University in April 2014.
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