Prodigal son returns home as ‘all is forgiven’

The prodigal son of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association, Mxolisi Mngomezulu has returned home as the township’s driver of the beautiful game.

Mngomezulu, a former technical director of the association, had been lost to football for the past two years when he was yellow-carded by the governing body for allegedly standing against the incumbent chairperson of the association in the last electoral AGM in 2014.

Mngomezulu decided to pack his bags and leave when pressure mounted over his decision to stand against his chairperson and he’s been in the wilderness ever since, except for a few coaching stints, with various local clubs.

He is the man accredited with putting Alex football on the map and thereby earned the respect of other associations in the region. During his tenure at the association, Mngomezulu led the all-conquering Alex squads of boys and girls for three years in succession.

He was even recognised by the South African Football Association Johannesburg Region and was assigned on numerous occasions as head coach for the regional squad in its soccer battles with other regions, including its first-ever appearance in the Gauteng Future Champions tournament.

Announcing the return of Mngomezulu, secretary general of the association, Mafika Morajane said, “The prodigal son came back home and apologised to his elders for the error of his ways and all was forgiven. Mngomezulu came to us and apologised and who are we to judge him? We welcomed him with open arms and no strings attached, and he immediately took charge of some of our squads in a helping capacity,” Morajane said.

He said Mngomezulu was also free to apply for the technical director position once it was advertised.

Commenting on his return, Mngomezulu said, “I suppose in any organisation or institution there ought to be differences. However, that is all in the past. My life goes on and football people of Alex know that I have never, and will never, forsake them,” he said.

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