EX-‘BULL’ KEEPER DLAKUBI COLLAPSES, DIES

MBABANE – One of the true legends of Swazi soccer, Robson ‘Sparks’ Dlakubi has passed on.

The former Mbabane Highlanders and national team Sihlangu goalkeeper died on Monday evening after collapsing at home in Malindza. He died while being rushed to the Good Shepherd Hospital in Siteki. Dlakubi is best remembered for his goalkeeping prowess in a fiercely contested match for the national team, Sihlangu against a star-studded ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroon in a World Cup qualifier in January 1993.

Cameroon had won many hearts around the world after their sterling showing led by striker Rodger Milla in the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
In that very same year, 1993, Dlakubi became the second Swazi player ever to be among the CAF Top 30 Best Players alongside the late Zambian Captain Eston Mulenga of Nkana Red Devils. The late Ronnie Dube of Kaizer Chiefs, after plying his trade for Mbabane Swallows and Denver Sundowns in the country, was the first in 1988 to make the CAF list.

“He shocked all of us because the last people who saw him at home say he was okay and doing his chores. After doing his chores in the evening, he got into the house and came out. It was already starting to get dark when he collapsed just outside but died on the way to Good Shepherd Hospital,” his brother Jacob confirmed yesterday.

He also said the family was still shocked because he had never complained of any illness in recent days as it has been a long time since he got ill. “He was a passionate man about football and was busy with coaching clinics, goalkeeper coaching courses and even owned a team called Stone Breakers under Malaheni League,” he said. Asked about his funeral arrangements if any already, he said the family met and decided that he gets buried on Sunday morning at Matsetsa after a night vigil on Saturday at Malindza.

Dlakubi was one of the best goalkeepers in the country, who made his name in the black and white of Highlanders and Sihlangu.
He played alongside other Highlanders’ greats in the late Tholeni ‘Schuster’ Nkambule, Tito Mabuza, Sifiso ‘Barnes’ Mkhulisi, the late Charles ‘Mnumzane’ Masango and Thulani ‘Mau Mau’ Dlamini to mention a few.

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