With a dream to make it to the country’s biggest league, the Premier Soccer League, Lunga Nkuna (21) hopes to become a renowned soccer commentator.
He is usually at local sports grounds around Muhushu Trust, commentating on friendly matches. He believes he can become the next Reggie ‘Mapensela’ Ndlovu, a soccer analyst and award-winning commentator.
“I am inspired by Mzansi’s favourite football commentator. I became interested in commentating about two years ago. I fell in love with that part of soccer because of Mapensela. The way he commentates made me become interested in whichever match is being played. Personally, I believe it is people like him that make the sports fun,” he said.
Nkuna said he also wants to make people enjoy the sport through his commentary.
He prides himself on his unique touch and word play. He said he is humorous, but does not lose the aim of his commentary, which is to inform.
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“I live in a community that is dominated by Siswati- and Shangaan-speaking people, so I incorporate a lot of expressions from those languages so my comments are relevant to the audience.”
He said he loves the sports code and wishes to make a living from it.
“I finished Grade 12 last year. I am still deciding what I want to venture into. Commentating is currently what I do, but I do play soccer sometimes.”
He said he hopes as sports organisations develop leagues to participate in, more opportunities will be made available for local commentators.
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“I want to be someone else’s inspiration, just like Mapensela was mine. The community of Mahushu is faced with a lot social ills, and the only thing we can do is to dream and work towards a better future for ourselves,” Nkuna said.