Amazulu and Bafana Bafana player Anele Ngcongca is being laid to rest on Thursday. He died in a road accident in KwaZulu-Natal two weeks ago.
Ngcongca also revealed that the soccer star has been celebrated more in Belgium, where he used to play his football, than here in South Africa. According to her tweet, not even the minister or MEC has reached out to the family.
Twitter users have taken a stand for soccer star Anele Ngcongca’s widow, Linda Racaza. This is after people on social media were linking Anele to Mshoza because of their past relationship.
Anele died in a car crash on Monday morning, while Mshoza died from diabetes complications last week. Since the news of Anele’s death, people have been posting pictures of Mshoza and Anele, talking about their relationship.
This didn’t sit well with some tweeps, who have asked others to stop with the pictures and respect Anele’s family.
Anele’s sister, Simbulele Gobelo, shared how heartbroken she was about his death. She also retweeted a tweet by Vicky Vee Jonas. Vicky tweeted: “Guys please respect Anele Ngconca’s family please! He has an entire family! Leave Mshoza out of this.
Another user wrote:“Guys, please respect Anele Ngcongca’s family.It can happen to you or your family member. Leave Mshoza out of this. In fact, respect Mshoza’s death.It is so painful to both of these two families. RIP legends.”
Guys please respect Anele Ngconca’s family pls!! He has an entire family!!! Leave Mshoza out of this.
— Vicky Vee Jonas (@Vicky_Vee_J) November 23, 2020
Another tweep wrote: “You guys are insensitive kodwa. Anele Ngcongca has a wife guys. Why are you focusing on his past with Mshoza? Niyadika.”
Please respect Anele Ngcongca's wife Linda Racaza tu #RIPANELENGCONGCA ???
— Mla ?? (@lord_mla) November 23, 2020
Linda has been posting pictures of Anele and their family on Instagram since the news of his death.
I worse Anele has a wife/girlfriend and a child that he stayed with & Mshoza’s an ex… but he’s still linked with her. Very insensitive https://t.co/V2mwjfvBXy
— Buyel’embo ?? (@DecoloniseZA) November 23, 2020
Former Bafana Bafana defender Anele Ngcongca is no more.
According to SunSport sources, Ngcongca was involved in a car accident on the N2 in Richmond near Pinetown this morning.
The picture of the BMW that Ngcongca was driving looks very bad and the whole front of the car is extremely damaged on the side of the road.
Being in Durban, Ngcongca was set to join big spenders AmaZulu on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns.
The 33-year-old joins many South African players who have lost their lives through car accidents.
Some of the South African players who lost their lives in accidents were Lesley Manyathela, Richard Hanyekane, Mogau Tshehla, Cecil Lolo, Mhlengi Cele.
Mamelodi Sundowns players Aubrey Ngoma and Anele Ngcongca have paid tribute to the women who have had the biggest impact on their lives.
While public adulation comes with the territory in their careers, Ngoma says he constantly applies the same energy, ensuring that his mother Lebogang, who raised him in Hammanskraal as one of four boys, knows he would not be where he is without her sacrifices.
“I make sure my mother knows how much I owe her, how grateful I am every little chance I get. She is growing older now, and that makes it more imperative for me. She played a massive role in shaping the man that I am today. She taught me how to differentiate right from wrong, by setting an example for me. The sacrifices she made to support my dream, her sheer determination to help me go where I needed to go to chase my dreams, especially as my dad passed away in 2018,” Ngoma said.
Having been raised at the opposite end of the country from his teammate, Cape Town-raised Ngcongca has a similar story to tell. In his case, the unbreakable bond is with his late grandmother, who helped raise him in her modest Khayelitsha home.
“My grandmother did everything for me, but above all, she prayed for me. I like to think I was her favourite, and my bond with her was such that when I lost her over 10 years ago I was completely devastated. I went to play in Europe at a really young age, and while this was a blessing, it was hard being away from her immediate support,” Ngcongca said.
Like many in his community, the family had little to give materially, but the lanky defender remembers her granny always having treats to give him.
“The love she gave me with the little she had means a lot to me, and to this day, her memory comforts me. One of my biggest regrets is that my grandmother never saw me play on the biggest stage, the World Cup. She never fully witnessed the fruits of her labour and endless prayers,” Ngcongca says.
“My mother Elizabeth, who has been through a lot, tried her best. She lost her first born, my older brother Kholekile, to cancer, and my younger brother Banele was stabbed to death, so I’m all she has left. When I was young, she worked at KFC, and the first pair of boots I had she bought despite money being tight,” the former Genk player said.
“The first thing I did when I started to earn money was buy her a house in Parkland, Cape Town. That was my biggest dream. She is a very strong woman, and I’m proud to be her son.”
Both Ngoma and Ngcongca also happen to have daughters and both spoke of how it saddens them to see the explosion of gender-based violence in the country.
“I have a two-year-old daughter, Alexa, with my girlfriend who has also been there for me through thick and thin, and to be honest, the current state of our country is not good for women. I long for the day women will be treated the right way – equally. It should not be about parents teaching girls how they should behave to avoid being killed – the lessons should be directed towards boys. I hope my daughter takes me as a role model when she chooses a partner one day. I am concerned for every female in our country, we never know if the women in our lives will come back when they leave the house, and [it is strange where] this barbaric behaviour is coming from,” Ngoma said.
Ngcongca, meanwhile, has been with his wife Linda since before fame and fortune came knocking, and they are the proud parents of 10-year- old Siphosethu. Growing up surrounded mainly by women, including his five female cousins, he feels he had a unique look at how to treat women well, which is at the core of his long-standing relationship with his wife.
“My lady stood by me, she would visit me in Belgium throughout my career, and at this point she is way more than a wife to me. She gave me the gift of Sethu. Despite the fact that right now we have lost our touch as men, I hope she grows up to be a strong woman who stands up to be counted, uses her voice to speak against injustice, and is of use to society. I want her to value education, and always remember where she comes from.”