Linda Ximba
Indima yesibhakela ikhala ngokudlula emhlabeni kukaZolani Marali owaziwa “ngo-The Untouchable” owayengumpetha waseNingizimu Afrika we-junior featherweight ne-Dual world.
UMarali obeneminyaka engu-44 udutshulwe wabulawa efulethini lakhe elise-Hillbrow, eGoli ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku.
Imbangela yalokhu kubulawa kwakhe ibingakaziwa kodwa imibiko iveza ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi bekuyinto ebihleliwe.
UMarali owazalelwa e-Eastern Cape, ubeyinxele engomunye wabadlali abagqamile esibhakeleni saseNingizimu Afrika.
Wazuza indondo yethusi kuma-All-Africa Games ngonyaka ka-1999 ukuze akwazi ukungena kuma-Olympics e-Sydney ngonyaka ka-2000 kodwa walahlekelwa indawo yakhe ngemuva kokutholakala kwensango egazini lakhe.
Eqinisekisa ukubulawa kukaZolani, umphathi we-Boxing South Africa e-Eastern Cape uPhakamile Jacobs uthe uMarali uzokhunjulwa ngokujabulisa abalandeli bakhe ngesitayela sakhe esingajwayelekile. Ikhono lakhe lamenza wanqoba isicoco saseNingizimu Afrika empini yakhe yeshumi ebhekene no-Oupa Lubisi e-Secunda, e-Mpumalanga ngonyaka ka-2002.
“Usuke lapho wathatha izicoco ze-International Boxing Organisation, i-World Boxing Foundation ne-World Boxing Federation ngezisindo ezintathu kusukela kwi-junior-featherweight kuya kwi-Junior-welterweight,” kusho uJacobs.
“Akekho ozozikhohlwa izimpi zakhe ngesikhathi ehlula u-Ali Funeka noKaizer Mabuza abasatshwayo.”
UMarali uthathe umhlalaphansi enerekhodi lokuwina amahlandla angu-24 nokuhlulwa okuyisithupha. Impi yakhe yokugcina kwaba ngesikhathi ehlulwa kwi-WBF nguJulius kwi-Windhoek Country Club Resort e-Windhoek e-Namibia ngonyaka ka-2015.
Ukushona kukaMarali kuza ngemuva kwesonto umhlaziyi wesibhakela odumile uDumile Mateza eshone esibhedlela i-Charlotte Maxeke Academic, eGoli.
Umthombo wesithombe : @SowetanLIVE