Linda Ximba
UNkululeko “Bulldog” Mhlongo ubala amasenti emzabalazweni wakhe wokuphila.
Umpetha we-WBA Pan African nowaseNingizimu Afrika, osehlala e-Gauteng manje, uhlehliselwe imiqhudelwano emibili ngenxa yobhubhane lwe-Covid-19 esikhathini esiyizinyanga eziyisithupha nje kuphela.
UMhlongo, oqhubeka nokulawula uphiko lwe-middleweight ngezibhakela ezimbili zensimbi, ushiywe enenhliziyo ebuhlungu ngesikhathi ehluleka ukuvikela isicoco sakhe se-WBA Pan African kuWalter Dlamini ngoZibandlela owedlule eThekwini.
Le mpi bekufanele ibe sekhadini eliphansi le-IBF flyweight ngaphansi kwe-Tono Promotions, ephethwe nguphromotha uNokwanda Mbatha.
Ngemuva kokudlulela kwesinye isikhathi esinzima sokuqeqeshwa, uMhlongo waphinde washaywa ngemuva kokutshelwa ukuthi impi yakhe ayezoyilwa noJohn Bopape, eyayilungiselelwe ukuba eMpumalanga ngenyanga ezayo, nayo ihlehlisiwe.
I-Joy4Joy Promotions, abagqugquzeli balo mqhudelwano, ithe ngenxa yokwanda ngokushesha kokuthelelana nge-Covid-19 okuholele ekutheni izwe linyukele ezingeni lesine, banqume ukuthi bawubeke phansi lo mcimbi.
Ekhuluma ne-Scrolla.Africa, uMhlongo odangele uthe: “Kufana nokushaywa ngezansi kwebhande. Ngiyakuqonda ukuthi uhulumeni uzama ukusivikela kodwa lokhu kuhlehliswa kanye nokusulwa kusishiya sihlupheka. Abanye bethu abanawo omunye umsebenzi futhi bathembela esibhakeleni ukubeka ukudla etafuleni.”
Uthe usebenzise imali engaphezulu kweyizi-R5,000 ukuthenga ukudla nokuqasha umqeqeshi.
“Ngidinga ukuba sesimweni esiphezulu ngakho ngichitha imali eningi ezintweni engaziyo ukuthi zizongisiza. Kodwa yini esingayenza? Ngicabanga ukuthi kumele siphile nalokhu bese sidlulela phambili.”