Linda Ximba
Kube yimpi umpetha wesibhakela u-Innocent Mantengu angakwazanga ukuyinqoba: iqembu elikhulu lezigebengu limhlulile ngesikhathi limphuca amabhande akhe esibhakela.
Umpetha osanda kuthweswa isicoco se-WBA Pan African junior featherweight waseMtubatuba, ngase-Richards Bay, eKZN utshele i-Scrolla.Afrika ukuthi ubesanda kuphuma nje emotweni i-metre taxi e-Park Station eGoli ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku ngesikhathi lezi zigebengu zimzuma zimhlasela.
“Bakhiphe imimese bangisabisa ngokungibulala uma ngizama ukubaleka. Bangicindezele ekhoneni bangihlula. Ngizamile ukumelana nabo kodwa bangibamba isikhwama sami bangiphuca amabhande ami amabili. Bathathe umgexo kodwa bahluleka ukuthatha isikhwama sami semali nomakhalekhukhwini,” kusho uMantengu obebonakala ukuthi uthukuthele uganu unwabu.
Lezi zigebengu zithathe amabhande akhe e-WBA Pan African ne-IBF Intercontinental. ‘UTycoon’ ubesendleleni egodukayo futhi ubehlele umcimbi wokugubha ukuwina amabhande.
“Bengihlele ukukhombisa abazali bami nokhokho bami imiphumela yokusebenza kanzima. Ngiyakholelwa kakhulu emadlozini futhi ngicabanga ukuthi bekufanelekile ukuba nomcimbi njengophawu lokubonga,” kusho umpetha.
Awukho umcebo omkhulu ongawulwela emhlabeni wesibhakela ukwedlula ibhande lobumpetha. Yilokho okushiwo yibo bonke abashayisibhakela nokuthi athathwe ngokuphazima kweso kuyinhlekelele enkulu.
UMantengu oneminyaka engama-30 uthe selokhu kwenzeke lenhlekelele wazise inkampani i-J4Joy Foods, eyahlela impi yakhe noLuthando Mbungulwana ngenyanga edlule.
“Uma kukhona obona amabhande kufanele axhumane namaphoyisa. Ngisebenze kanzima ukuthi la mabhande athathwe kimi kalula kangaka,” kusho uMantengu.
“Ngizonikela ngokuthile kulabo abangangisiza ukuthola amabhande ami.”