The Sunday News
Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
Salimu Milazi with two league championships rates among the most successful players to come from Hwange football.
Greater players donned the coalminers’ strip but few collected medals in their careers except for the classes of 1970, 1973 and the early 1990s that won the Castle Cup. But still they did not win the coveted marathon, the prime medal in football and in that hat are the club’s biggest names Barry Daka, Twyman Ncube, Amos and Daniel Rendo, Sam Mutende, Steven Chuma, Nyaro Mumba, Rodrick Simwanza, Nathaniel Maduku, Dickson Banda, Austin Ncube, Benson Soko, Shepherd Muradzikwa, Godfrey Tamirepi, Antony Sibanda, Obert Moyo, Joseph Mwansa, Mebelelo Njekwa, Vanancio Ncube, Gilbert Zulu and Fabian Zulu.
For many Hwange and Wankie players it’s been agonising years fighting relegation and languishing in Division One.
But for Milazi, leaving Hwange was a blessing in disguise, as he went on to win a league title with Motor Action in 2010 and Wanderers in Malawi in 2008.
When Milazi was born on 24 November 1976, the coalmining town of Hwange was still reverberating to the song: “Wankie ina wina Cup, Wankie ina wina Cup.”
The residents were still celebrating the 1970 victory over Arcadia and the 1973 Castle Cup win over Dynamos. Players like Amos Rendo, Posani Sibanda, Isaac Phiri, Rodrick Simwanza and Jimmy Sibanda were still cult heroes as the first feat was achieved when the club was playing in the Second Division. They had with the likes of Daniel Rendo and Sam Mutende defied odds to reach the cup final and later on win it.
Athletics and soccer reigned supreme in Hwange when Milazi was born and a new generation of stars Barton Mwalukuka, Skeva Phiri and David Khumalo was emerging meaning that when he began kicking plastic balls around at Makwika Village, he was not short of local heroes.
So growing up in those years, one wished to be part of a generation to restore football glory to a people so much in love with the game made bold by good performances too in the Chamber of Mines Football League often for reserve sides of mines like Rio Tinto, Zisco, Hwange and Mhangura who had teams playing at the highest level in the 1960s and 1970s.
With Makwika Village home to one of Hwange’s top three clubs, Brazil and perennial enemy Kabwe Warriors, as early as his fourth birthday, Milazi would run away from his mother’s watch to be a spectator at the local stadium.
The Makwika Ground provided good entertainment for the community against sides like Black Aces, Rufaro Rovers, Raith Rovers, Ozondiwa, Zobalikanazo, Blue Bombers and Marathon.
Not long Milazi was kicking the ball imitating some of the players and by the time he was in Grade Four at Makwika was making an impression in the school teams.
He was an infield player with Chenjerayi Dube, Comfort Lungu, Mailos Phiri, Kenny Kambeu, Elias Banda and Phineas Mwakajileke.
Fierce competition brewed from decades old rivalry came from Sir Humphrey Gibbs, St Ignatius, Lwendulu and Mabinga Primary Schools where there were boys like Thomas Sibanda, son of the legendary Posani and Alec Nyoni.
“We enjoyed the primary schools games where we played each other home and away. So many of the boys of my time went on to play for Hwange and other Division One sides from Victoria Falls and our home town,” said Milazi.
The Hwange Hospital born lad attended Hwange Secondary School as he continued his football journey turning out for Hwange Juniors under Freddy Mwaitonoka.
Like most juniors, Milazi pays tribute to the man who plucked him from relative obscure township street football to organised soccer.
“Isaac ‘Sakhi’ Tshuma had great influence taking me from umphepha (street league football) to giving me my debut with a local team called Brazil. The one I supported since childhood,” said Milazi.
Tshuma played for Giant Killers and Hwange and was regarded as one of the best goalkeeping talents to come out of Chipangano despite not reaching his full potential.
In 1993 Milazi moved to Mozambique with his family and he continued with his studies there. He would return in 1997.
After failing to impress with first team, the 21-year-old joined Masvingo United where he played with the likes of Gift Raiva, Lazarus Sithole and Taurai Mangwiro.
“I was frustrated because some of the guys I played with in Hwange Juniors had been promoted but I was being overlooked so I had to look elsewhere. Luckily coach Jones Chilengi was following my games and he recalled me and I was able to come back home and compete for a place,” said Milazi.
Milazi stayed at Hwange from 1998 till 2002 competing as a striker with the likes of Joseph Mwansa a club legend, Charles Chilufya, Walter Chuma and Kenneth Ngulube.
When David Mwanza came in 1999 he played Milazi as a leftback. Joe Mathuthu also played him on that position as he felt he had too much energy and was scoring from overlaps.
In 2003 then Caps United president Twine Phiri came to Hwange and pleaded with Milazi’s father for the boy to move to the capital.
“I stayed at Phiri’s house for a moth and when Motor Action came knocking I could not resist their offers and I joined them,” said Milazi of a club that was yet to win any silverware not even a Division One title since they rose from the ashes of Blackpool.
He was enticed by his former Hwange coach Luke Masomere.
“I was at Motor Action from 2003 till 2012 where I got runners up and gold medals,” said the 2005 Independence Silver Jubilee Cup winner against Highlanders.
In 2006 Motor Action were runners-up to Methembe Ndlovu’s Highlanders FC. Caps who he ditched won the league titles in 2004 and 2005 under Charles Mhlauri.
When Rahman Gumbo moved to Malawi he took Milazi along and delivered a championship in 2008.
The left footed striker who could be played as a winger with devastating effect in several different formations added the Zimbabwe league title to his collection in 2010 with Motor Action and a ticket to the Champions League in 2011.
He was again on the podium in 2011 after winning the BancABC Cup.
True to expectations of his role as a striker Milazi was twice top goal scorer for both Hwange and Motor Action.
Nicknamed Maan Salah because he used to pray daily while growing up, Milazi who is a Muslim, curses his failure to play for the national team.
He had a Mozambican passport and could not be considered for Zimbabwe national teams. By the time he got his Zimbabwe passport, age had taken its toll on him.
He remembers fondly his playing days at Motor Action with players like Marlon Jani, Clemence Matawu, Clyde Musonda, Edmore Mufema, Allan Johnson, Ernest Gava and Pearson Matore.
At one stage in his career he had so many goals from hat tricks that in 2006 he managed to sponsor a tournament in Hwange with the balls among the prizes.
“My most memorable match was day I scored four goals in a league game against Chapungu we won 5-1 and Njabulo Ncube scored the other at Rufaro Stadium,” said Milazi.
Milazi who at 1,85m was intimidating to defenders found Herbert Dick as the most difficulty opponent. Dick was physical and had pace to cap it he was good in the air making him a hard to beat defender.
At Motor Action he shared rooms with Allan Johnson while at Hwange it was Obert Moyo among his favourite teammates.
He had a cultured left foot, pace and could dribble. Milazi was never one to showboat as he always put a workmanlike shift to his game all the time. He retired in 2012.
His retirement did not mean he was lost to the game. He is into Northern Region Division One side Golden Eagles’ administration and works at Columbus Communications owned by media and advertising executive Barry Manandi.
The Zifa Level Three certified coach is married to Rosemary Bhebhe and have three children.
Milazi is among many Hwange guys wishing for the return of the local league.
It nurtured many talents and its absence has seen promising talents lost to social ills in a town with few sporting options and entertainment.
