Abantu baseMzantsi Afrika bangene kwinyanga yeKhala ngeendaba ezibuhlungu zokusweleka kwabantu ngenxa yeKhorona. Kwezemidlalo, isizwe lishiyeke sithe khunubembe emva kokuvakala kwesithonga sokusweleka kwegqala lembethimanqindi ebingumakhwekhwetha, uLehlohonolo “Hands of Stone” Ledwaba. ULedwaba, 50, waseSoweto ngokokuzalwa, unikezele ngoLwesihlanu weveki ephelileyo emva kokuhlaselwa yiKhorona ethe tshitshilili kakhulu kwiphondo laseGauteng. Uhambe emhlabeni enamashumi amane anethoba, xa kanye ebeza kufinca amashumi amahlanu eminyaka ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesixhenxe kule nyanga yeKhala. Emanqindini, uLedwaba wangena waphelela ngonyaka ka-1990, kanye phambi kokufika kwenkululeko eMzantsi Afrika.
Emva kwaloo nyaka, uLedwaba waba yintshatsheli evunyiweyo ye-IBF super bantamweight. Yintshinga awayikhusela izihlandlo ezihlanu zonke. UMphathiswa weZemidlalo, uNathi Mthethwa, uvakalise ukukhathazeka kwakhe kukuhamba kukaLedwaba. “Ebeyimbethimanqindi engumzekelo omhle – kodwa enenqindi elinamandla. Wenze umsebenzi omhle kakhulu ngeentsuku zakhe ngokuphakamisa igama lelizwe akhe. Nangona wayeka kudala ukuba ngumdlali wamanqindi – kodwa ebenalo ixesha lokuqeqesha iimbethimanqindi ezisakhulayo endaweni yakhe eseSoweto. Silisebe sifuna ukuthi ngxe emzini wakwaLedwaba. Siqinisekile ukuba uya kuhlala ekhunjulwa ngabantu bonke beli lizwe,” utshilo uMphathiswa.
Emilweni enganashumi amane anesithathu; uLedwaba wayiphumelela engamashumi amathathu anesithandathu. Kuloo milo, wabethwa kwemithandathu waze wadlala ntanganye komnye. Phakathi kweembethimanqindi alwe nazo uLedwaba kukho uManny Pacquiao wasePhiliphines. Kuloo mlo wabethwa uLedwaba. Akuva iindaba ngokuwa kukaLedwaba, uPacquiao uvakalise ukukhathazeka kwakhe watsho edlulisa amazwi ovelwano kusapho lukamfi. “Zibuhlungu iindaba zokusweleka kukaLedwaba endizivileyo. Wayeyintshatsheli yokwenene kwaye ushiya imbali entle kakhulu,” utshilo uPacquiao kwikhasi lonxibelelwano.
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