Mhlanga on why he joined Dynamos

Lovemore Dube
CHRIS Mhlanga, a football legend who played for a number of top teams in the country, has spoken of how he joined Dynamos in 1969 and says he is the first local player to score six-headed goals in one match.

Mhlanga’s career began in Kadoma where he grew up. He was so good that as a teenager he was selected to be among the strikers of the Mashonaland Select.

His first break was with amateur side Nimfa Rovers and later got a lucrative offer at Rufaro Rovers, a team owned by the Salisbury Municipality now Harare City Council’s beer undertaking entity.

He was a top striker who scored for fun and was rated up there among the best of the time who included Ernest Kamba, Twyman Ncube, Peter Nyama, Topsy Robertson and Gibson Homela.

Mhlanga (78) was part of the Rhodesia team that missed the 1970 World Cup finals by a whisker after being edged by Australia in the final qualifier which had two replays.

The founder and life president of the Bulawayo Social Soccer League, said in 1969 he caught the attention of Rio Tinto whose manager, a Mr Sinclair came to Harare to convince him.

“I met Mr Sinclair at Jameson Hotel and he said they wanted me to join their team. I was working as a cashier in Mufakose. They came on Saturday to collect me to go to Eiffel Flats and when we were at Halfway (Selous) we bought a newspaper and found a story on me splashed on the pages that I had been suspended by Rufaro Rovers for the whole season for not being serious at training,” said Mhlanga.

He said that was punishment for expressing his desire to leave the club to join Rio Tinto.

Mhlanga said Mr Roberts was both Rhodesia National Football League and Rufaro Rovers secretary and had facilitated the ban.

With the suspension Rio Tinto were signing a player who would only be eligible to play in 1970 when the ban was over. They thought he would back down but Mhlanga went ahead to join Rio Tinto where he was made assistant coach and welfare officer working under sprinter Dera Magodo brother to Boniface a former sprinter and athletics coach of repute.

Mhlanga started coaching at 23, working with players like Peter Phiri.

“When I said I can’t coach, they asked me to use the same tricks I used as a player after telling the manager that they had good players and that I did not have a coaching certificate. I started coaching in 1969 working with brilliant players like Chimboko and my big brother Peter Phiri (Rio Tinto legend),” said Mhlanga. Mhlanga remembers cutting tree branches to use for training in what today coaches use cones. He remembers a 6-1 whacking by Police’s Tomlison Depot. “I then challenged them and I scored three goals when we won 4-1,” said the former Rhodesia trialist left out of the team to play Australia in a crucial match World Cup qualifier after going drinking with the late George Shaya and Stephen Chimedza, something that riled national team coach, Danny Maclennan.

“So after that game the manager promised to increase my pay,” said Mhlanga.

Mhlanga’s presence in Eiffel Flats the home of Rio Tinto had reached Harare and in no time Dynamos were chasing his signature.

“One day while in the office, I heard that someone wanted to see me, to my surprise it was Morrison Sifelani. He said Harare people were not happy that I was staying emakhaya (village). I said to Sifelani those people (Rio Tinto) had bought me a stove and given me a four-roomed house,” said Mhlanga.

Sifelani was his maternal uncle.

“He insisted that people in Harare — meaning Dynamos supporters wanted me at the club. This is how l was taken by Dynamos. Dynamos didn’t talk to Rio, they talked to Rufaro about my clearance, this is how I joined Dynamos,” said Mhlanga who played alongside Charles Gwatidzo, Steven Chimedza, Zinyama, David Madondo, George Shaya and Ernest Kamba. Mhlanga said in his debut match they beat Umtali (Sakubva) United 6-1.

“I scored the six goals with my head,” said Mhlanga. Mhlanga left Dynamos to join Highlanders in 1971 and played up to 1973. He was involved in a swap deal that brought in Tymon Mabaleka to Highlanders with Mhlanga joining Eastlands.

“I was too good, Eastlands could not afford me and there was a swop with Tymon Mabaleka and nine players replaced me at Highlanders,” quips Mhlanga with his usual chuckle.