There have been questions about whether Bongani Zungu has apologised to Bernard Parker for the horrific tackle that broke the latter’s leg in the Carling Knockout Cup match on Wednesday, and TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi has given the latest update.
Zungu was shown a straight red card for the tackle, which occurred in the 57th minute of the match. Parker was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery for a broken leg.
In the days following the incident, there was some uncertainty about whether or not Zungu had apologised to Parker. In fact, Sukazi had initially said the Mamelodi Sundowns veteran midfielder had not apologised.
“I can assume now that Zungu hasn’t found out about the injury. Parker, as we speak, is undergoing surgery. So, we haven’t heard from Zungu, which is quite unfortunate,” Sukazi said on Metro FM on Thursday.
However, the TS Galaxy supremo has now restated the matter by confirming that Zungu texted Parker on Instagram.
TIM SUKAZI’S ANSWER ON WHETHER BONGANI ZUNGU HAS APOLOGISED TO BERNARD PARKER
“I will give Mamelodi Sundowns the benefit of the doubt,” he told Power FM’s Masekepe Matsebane on Friday evening. “They were in transit almost, preparing to go to Angola. They had to go immediately. So, most likely, they never had any chance to do as much.
“They’re a good club. I’m sure they would have done differently had they been around. I’d want to believe so. They’re a good club with good people and good leadership.
“I believe that they will come by. It’s just that now they are held up by their programme. This afternoon [Friday], I did get some message from their legal head, commercial manager Mr Yogesh Singh, offering his support.
“They’re that kind of club. They have a very extraordinary schedule.” He went on to confirm that Parker had ascertained that, indeed, Zungu inboxed him on Instagram.
“Look, part of the message of support I got from Mr Yogesh Singh was that Zungu has been corresponding with Parker, somehow.
“And, of course, it turns out to be correct in that, when I ascertained from Bernard, Zungu did drop an Instagram inbox or message apologising on that Instagram message. That is in so far as it went. I haven’t heard of anything beyond that.”
TIM SUKAZI’S X POST
Surprisingly, Sukazi slammed Matsebane for saying Zungu had “reached out to Parker” in an X post.
“You better not interview people if you’re going to distort what they said on this platform… please share the audio @Powerfm987,” wrote Sukazi.
Meanwhile, Sukazi has praised Parker for his professionalism in the wake of the incident. He said the former Kaizer Chiefs striker was “of another kind” and “an absolute professional”.
“He has accepted that this is part of the game, of course. It can happen to anyone… He has accepted that this is the situation, and he has also taken it upon himself to focus on his recovery….
“The same applies to us as a club. Our focus is for Bernard to recover and come back strongly as a human being. Never mind the player. Whether he decides to play thereafter will be his decision.”
TS Galaxy posted a video of the club’s boss pushing Parker in a wheelchair after he was discharged from hospital on Saturday morning.
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