admin
Danisa Masuku
“Do not force yourself into a profession where you cannot excel.”
THESE are the cautionary and wise words of reason and a reflection of former Zimbabwe Saints striker, Peter Kaviza’s beliefs and philosophy.
Growing up in the dusty streets of Sizinda in Bulawayo, Kaviza used to frequent Ndlovu Youth Centre where he was exposed to a number of sporting disciplines such as tennis, volleyball, table tennis and soccer.
A naturally athletic young man, he played all of them but he had a reality check and found that although he was good in all of them, he was more gifted in football.
“I felt I was better in football and decided to settle for that sporting code. When I look back now I realise that I nailed it. I became one of the dependable strikers in the league and for the Under-20 national team,” he revealed.
He said had he not made that decision, he would have been quite average in other sports. He did his primary education at Masuku and St-Columbus before he proceeded to Mgandane Secondary School (Mzilikazi High School).
Kaviza pays tribute to his former teacher and ex– Highlanders chairman and chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede.
“Gumede taught me English Language at Form Two and was also the Sports Master. He played a pivotal role in my football career, encouraging me to put more effort in football after he had realised that I was not academically gifted,” he said.
He says initially he wanted to play in defence but “Yours Truly”, as Gumede is affectionately known in football circles, advised him to try his luck in the strikeforce. He did and the rest as they say is history, he became a star striker!
In no time, Gumede drafted him into the school’s first team although he was just in Form Two.
“The team mainly comprised Form Threes and Form Fours and as such I was like a black sheep among them but I stamped my authority,” he shared.
He shone like a beacon and was selected into the Bulawayo Junior Select. There he did not disappoint as he put up a splendid performance.
“I was named Player of the Tournament and I was one of the top goal scorers and that put a star on my budding career,” he remembers.
In 1974 he joined a Division One outfit — Manicaland United’s Under-14 side. He made his debut against Fireball Ramblers FC edging them 3-2 to win the Chibuku Cup.
He says it was a tightly contested match with the opposition fielding players like Joel “Headmaster” Shambo and Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma among the top players before the pair of Shambo and Ndunduma later joined Caps United FC.
While he was with Manicaland he would also feature for Ndlovu Youth Club. He rose through the ranks and went on to play in the reserve side for a short stint.
In the reserve side he recalls that he played alongside Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda, Titus Majola, James Chipunza, and Bob Sero.
In 1977 he parted ways with Manicaland United and crossed the floor to Zimbabwe Saints.
He played in the reserve side for his entire first season due the depth and quality of players already at the club such as Musa Muzanenamo (goalkeeper), Isaac Banda (defender), Philemon Dangarembwa (defender), Ephraim Moloi (centreback), Lucky Rufani (centreback), skipper Max Tshuma (linkman), William Sibanda (linkman), Steven Kwashi (a right striker), Andrew Kadengu ( left striker), Nhamo Chizunza (striker), Chita Antonio (striker). This is the squad that landed a Cup double — Rhodesia National Football League (RNFL) and Castle Cup.
He said he managed to break into the first team at the age of 17 and says most of the championship winning players at the club during that time were over the hill and some were retiring from the beautiful game of football.
“When I joined Zimbabwe Saints most of the players had left and ours was like a re-building group. A few like Gibson Homela, Douglas Maneto, William Sibanda, Max Tshuma, and Steven Kwashi remained, this helped the budding players to blend well with the seniors players,” he shares.
His performances earned him a national Under-20 call-up.
He was roped into the national junior squad and played alongside Japhet Mparutsa, Felix Ntuthu, Sebastian Chikwature, Maronga Nyangela and Machona Sibanda under Peter Nyama.
The most exhilarating moment in national team colours was when he provided two assists in an epic clash against Nigeria.
“In that match I provided two assists and we won the match 3-2.”
After that he set his eyes on a senior national team going on to feature in friendly matches but before he was drafted into major matches he fractured a leg in 1985 in a tussle for the ball against Peter “Oxo” Nkomo. That match goes down as his worst match in his football career.
“We were playing against Highlanders at Barbourfields, in a tussle for the ball I clashed against Peter “Oxo” Nkomo, sadly I fractured my leg,”he said.
He disclosed that he tried to convince Saints officials to pay for his medical bills but they turned down his request. He had to foot the medical bill on his own.
“I was fortunate that at the time I was working for the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) earning a decent salary so I managed to pay my own medical bills after Zimbabwe Saints officials turned their back on me,” he said.
In 1986 after he recuperated, he joined a Division One side, Archers Stars but spent only one season with the outfit.
He hung his boots at the end of that season.
He spent several years away from the game but bounced back in 2008 when he rejoined Saints as juniors’ coach before being elevated to assist then Saints’ head coach Edmore Sibanda in 2009.
He says prominent players that passed through his hands include Highlanders midfielder Simon “Yola” Munawa and reigning Zimbabwe Soccer Star of the Year Rodwell Chinyengetere.
Online Reporter