The Eastern Cape is full of hidden treasures and one had to go off the beaten track to find the Ngumbela cricket festival final – a highlight on the SA rural sports calendar. And what an eye opener.
The Eastern Cape is full of hidden treasures and one had to go off the beaten track to find the Ngumbela cricket festival final – a highlight on the SA rural sports calendar. And what an eye opener.
The cricket oval is in a place called Healdtown which is a few kilometres from the town Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape. Healdtown Comprehensive boasts one of the world’s most renowned scholars in Nelson Mandela, who matriculated from the school in 1938.
Amazing history in this little place. Seventy-seven years later, the community of Healdtown continues the legacy of Madiba and at the forefront is Mthetheleli Ngumbela.
Ngumbela is a local resident and businessman who has a real passion for cricket and has ploughed millions of his own money back into the game.
His nickname is 'Ndlovu' (elephant) and his stature in the community is of 'Ndlovu' size.
The Ngumbela cricket tournament has been running since 1989 and a number of top SA players have been discovered here, including the likes of Makhaya Ntini, Thami Tsolekile and Mfuneko Ngam.
This year’s final was between the local Lamyeni team and a team from Alice, played in front of around 2 000 people. I don’t think they get those kind of numbers through the gates in the Sunfoil series.
The crowd were singing and dancing from ball one and got stronger as the day went on. This was not just about cricket. It was a day of entertainment for the communities nearby and every one of the 2 000-strong crowd was also given a meal at the final.
The good will of Ngumbela made sure no one went home hungry, as the big pots were cooking from the very first over. Boy, do we need more of this.
A number of officials and former players made the trek through the tiny villages and cattle herds to be part of the festivities and all were in awe of the work done by Ngumbela and his team.
The guests included Cricket SA general manager Corrie van Zyl, who still looks like he could send down 25 overs on the trot, Sascoc president Gideon Sam, Robbie and Pete Muzzell and former Border stalwart Greg Hayes, who’s still doing a lot of good work in the Eastern Cape.
The new Mfuneko Ngam academy at Fort Hare is Hayes’s latest project and he tells me there is some real talent coming through the ranks. Already more than 10 of their graduates have got semi-professional contracts with various provinces.
Rural sport flies under the radar in SA but if Ngumbela was to have his way, you would see real change. A change for the better for all sport in SA.
Ngumbela is one of those people who should be high up in the Sports Ministry.
He’s made his own money and all he wants is the betterment of other people’s lives and a sporting future for all. If you were to meet Mthetheleli Ngumbela, you would be humbled. Mandela’s legacy is alive and well in Healdtown. www.sportsfiredaily.co.za
