INkundla yegalofu eThekwini mayethiwe ngoSewgolum
KUNESIGCAWU Senkundla Yamaqiniso esahlalela izigameko zokubulawa kwabezepolitiki kuleli ngesikhathi sobandlululo sashiya ngaphandle ukushushiswa kwalabo ababandlulula abamnyama kwezemidlalo. Okuyimbangela yalokhu wukuthi uma kuqhathaniswa abantu abafa ngenxa yepolitiki kuthathe kungaqhathaniseki nabantu ababandlululwa kwezemidlalo kodwa badlula baphila. Kuye kube sengathi bona obabo ubuhlungu babubuncane ngokuqhathaniseka. Nokho mkhulu umonakalo ngokwempilo owadalwa wubandlululo kwezemidlalo. Baningi abadlali bakuleli abakuyo yonke imikhakha yezemidlalo abanye babo abaze baqoma ukulifulathela leli ngenxa yokuhluleka ukubekezelela ukuba ngamakheswa kwelabo lendabuko. Namuhla le ngosi ithande ukugxila kuMnu uPapwa ‘Sewsunker’ Sewgolum owayengumdlali wegalofu owavelela kakhulu kodwa wazwiswa ubuhlungu ngenxa yenkambiso yakuleli yobandlululo.
Le nsizwa eyayizalwa ngabakhehli bomoba esifundazweni iNatal yazifundisa yona amasu okudlala igalofu isengumfanyana ngokushaya ibhola isebenzisa induku yomsilinga. Yayenza njengoba yayibuka abashayi begalofu benza enkundleni yegalofu. Ithuba laziveza kuSewgolum ngokuthi aqashwe njengohlaka lomshayi galofu. Waphiwa induku yangempela akaphinde wabheka emuva kulo mdlalo. Akuthathanga sikhathi uSewgolum waba wuthi oluxake eguleni kwayeqhudelana nabo kulo mdlalo. Wayenesiphiwo esingandile kusukela endleleni ayebamba ngayo induku nayeshaya ngayo ibhola. Ngonyaka we-1959 wangena esigabeni sabadlali abakhokhelwayo waphumelela umqhudelwano iDutch Open ngowe-1959, 1960 nangowe-1963. Yize esebe namagalelo anzima ngalolo hlobo abaphathi bezemidlalo bakuleli baqhubeka nokumphatha ngezandla ezibandayo uSewgolum. Abamvumelanga ukuthi adlale igalofu ezingeni labakhokhelwayo uma engaphakathi kwezwe ngenxa yebala lesikhumba sakhe. Lokho kwamphoqa ukuthi angaqhudelani nabamhlophe lapho imali nemiklomelo kwakungcono khona.
Kwaze kwathi ngenxa yengcindezi yezepolitiki iziphathimandla zamfaka emqhudelwaneni i ‘Natal Open” ngowe-1963 lapho aphendula khona amatafula wawuphumelela umqhudelwano eshaya uGary Player owayengumdlali owayehlonishwa umhlaba wonke ngaleso sikhathi. Okwaba yihlazo wukuthi uSewgolum akavunyelwanga ukusebenzisa izindlu zokugqokela zeDurban Country Club kodwa kwadingeka asebenzise imoto eyiveni njengendlu yokugqokela. Sekufanele amukele umklomelo kwenzeka ihlazo lokuthi amukeliswe umklomelo wakhe emvuleni ngoba nje ngenxa yebala lesikhumba sakhe engenakuba ndlininye nabamhlophe ababeyizikhulu zeDurban Country Club. Lokhu kwawucasula kakhulu umhlaba ubona isihluku esenziwa kuSewgolum.
UPapwa Sewgolum wafa engenalutho ngenxa yokuncishwa amathuba ayezomenza isicebi njengabadlali abamhlophe abafana noGary Player o-Ian Woosnam nabanye. UHulumeni weNingizimu Afrika ekhululekile uliklomelise lingasekho emhlabeni leli qhawe ngeNdondo i-Order of Ikhamanga in Silver ngonyaka wezi-2004. Lokhu kuhle kodwa akwenele. Isikhona inkundla yegalofu eqanjwe ngoSewgolum eseResevoir Hills okuyindawo ngokomlando engeyabase-India. Lokho kuhle kodwa akwanele. Ukuyoqamba indawo esendaweni yamaNdiya kusengukumbandlulula uSewgolum abukwe njengeNdiya hhayi njengesakhamuzi esalethela iNingizimu Afrika yonke udumo. Ephumelela iDutch Open izikhathi ezintathu waba ngumpetha womhlaba wonke. Ephumelela iNatal Open Golf Championship wayeshaya bona kanye abamhlophe.
Okuyomenza alale ngokuthula engcwabeni afinyelela kulo eneminyaka engama-48 nje kuphela uSewgolum wukuthi inkundla yegalofu iDurban Country Club engasolwandle abandlululwa kuyo, yethiwe ngaye uMnu uPapwa ‘Sewsunker’ Sewgolum. okubikwayo wukuthi isenayo inhlese yokungabamukeli kahle abangemhlophe inkundla.
IDurban Country Club ayiqanjwe ngaye. Izikhulu zikaMasipala wase-Ithekwini azikulwele zenze isiqiniseko sokuthi kuyenzeka lokhu. Zinamandla okukwenza lokhu. Akekho omunye ofanelwe yilolu dumo ngaphandle kukaMnu uPapwa ‘Sewsunker’ Sewgolum. EyaseResevour Hills inkundla ingaqanjwa nangobani omunye kodwa iDurban Country Club ayethiwe ngoSewgolum.