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Noel Munzabwa in Manzini, Eswatini
FORMER Highlanders’ volleyball player and coach, Thulani Maphosa, guided Eswatini outfit Correctional Services Ladies to the country’s first ever international gold medal in the just ended Zone 6 Volleyball Championships held in Durban, South Africa.

In completing a memorable and golden year, the Eswatini ladies’ Nedbank Volleyball League champions capped their six-match winning streak with a 3-2 win over Mozambique’s Universidale Pedagogica Namoula at the University of KwaZulu Natal’s Westville Campus courts.

The success automatically qualified Correctional Services Ladies for the 2019 African Club Volleyball Championships to be held in Algeria next year.

In the group stages, Correctional Service beat Super Select from Zambia 3-0, University of KwaZulu Natal 3-0 and powerhouse Botswana outfit Bafolofolo 3-2. They beat University of Zimbabwe Wolves 3-1 in the quarter-final and edged Botswana’s Kotwlano 3-2.

“This was historic for us in that on the way to earning the country’s first ever team gold on the international scene, we also beat teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana for the first. So Africa here we come,” said Maphosa.

“We won’t be making up numbers, but after years of the game’s development, we will be in Algeria to compete and represent our nation and region with pride.

“It is my personal glory as well and hopefully fortunes continue to shine for us,” he said.

Horrendous and adverse football results to Sihlangu (2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers), Sihlangwana (Africa Junior Championships qualifiers), Mbabane Swallows (on-going Total Caf Champions League), Young Buffaloes (on-going Total Caf Confederations Cup), Mopani Cosafa Under-20 and African Union Region 5 games had dampened the country’s sport standing.

Maphosa also won the pre-season tournament Independence Day, VA Cup and the Nedbank League men’s and ladies’ titles to mark the most successful year in his stay in Eswatini.

— @NoelMunzabwa