Intatheli: Musawenkosi Mpofana
Kwazise ukuqhama kwendawo ngomgalelo elenziwe ngasebemkantsh’ubomvu kulelo khono nakuleso sigaba. Kodwa sibona umhlola la kosa hluka okaVundla, umntwana oseqoqe izindondo namamedali amaningi okugijima emijahweni ehlelelwe iTheku namaphethelo.
Uvelela kwimijaho emikhulu yaseThekwini nje, uqale wagasela ezikoleni nasendaweni ayakhele abashaya emakhanda bonke kumabanga asheshayo, kubalwa o-400m, 1500m, 5000m no-10 000m.
Umsubathi usemncane oneminyaka eyishumi nesihlanu (15), uNkanyiso Vundla, ozalwe wakhulela khona eMkhomasi. Umama wakhe ubikele i-Ezinohlonze ukuthi ungumama ozikhulisela abantwana bakhe yedwa ngemuva kokubulawa komyeni wakhe ebonini yamatekisi. Lokho kwenza isimo sasekhaya ukuthi sibe nzima kakhulu njengoba umyeni wakhe wamshiya izingane zisencane.
Uzithola esesimeni esibucayi njengoba umfana wakhe usezibeke emathutsheni ayingqayizivele ukuyomela iKwaZulu-Natal eGoli kumjaho wokugijima esigangeni (cross country).
“Ngizimisele kakhulu ukuwina eGoli ukuze ngilungele ukuyomela izwe laseMzansi kwezemidlalo,” kuchaza yena uNkanyiso.
Uphendule ngokuba namahloni la simbuza ukuthi uqinisekisa kanjani ezifundweni zakhe nokugijima njengoba esesesikoleni nje. Lapho uveze ukubonga uthisha wakhe ophinde abe ngumqeqeshi wakhe, uMnuz Ndumiso Mngwengwe, ukuthi uyamnaka aphinde amcothozise ngokubaluleka kokufunda; nakuba likhona ikhono lokugijima, kodwa imfundo iphambili ngoba usemncane futhi usenethuba elanele.
“Njengoba ngisohlwini labagijimi abayoqhudelana eGoli, bengingacela uxhaso lwamateku, namatreksudi, ifoni, izinsiza zokuqala kubagijimi (first aid kit), kanye no-R500 wokuzithengela ukudla,” kuchaza uNkanyiso.
Uveze nokuthi nakuba i-KZN ibanikeze uxhaso lwezithuthi, indawo yokuhlala nokudla, kodwa akanawo amateku okugijima.
“Yonke le mijaho bengiyigijima ngiyinqoba ngezinyawo ngingenateku. Eminye yemijaho eThekwini ngagijima ngaze ngagaxebuka izinyawo ngoba sasigijima ibangana etiyeleni. Ngingeke ngikwazi ukungawungeneli lowo mjaho ngoba iwona owangibeka kulesi sigaba sokulungela ukumela iKwaZulu-Natal eGoli.”
Uchaze ngokuthi kungamjabulisa ukuthola uxhaso nokulekeleleka njengoba uthando ekhona kulomdlalo, nokuthi aphumelele naye aziphilise ngekhono lakhe. Kulabo abangaba nothando lokusiza kufezeke iphupho likaNkanyiso Vundla, bangaxhumana nomndeni noma isikole sakhe.
