AmaZulu FC attacker Augustine Mulenga has opened up on how the late former Orlando Pirates forward Justin Shonga paved the way for him after joining the PSL.
Mulenga arrived in South Africa in January 2018 after being signed by Pirates from Zanaco FC. That was exactly five months after the late Shonga had been lured to The Buccaneers from Nkwazi FC.
Simply put, that marked a reunion for the two Zambians who had forged a friendship while playing for Zambia’s Under-17 back in 2011.
And while football set them apart after one and a half seasons at the Soweto giants, the duo remained in touch. Most importantly, they became key members of Zambia’s Chipolopolo until Shonga’s passing on the 30th of June, 2024.
WHAT MULENGA SAID ABOUT THE LATE FORMER PIRATES FORWARD SHONGA
And as Mulenga recounted the traumatic loss of his former teammate and friend during an interview with FARPost, his voice started to crack and could be heard on the other side of the phone breaking down.
Mulenga said the late Shonga was his guiding star and source of inspiration upon arrival in South Africa and throughout his stay.
“Shonga, man, even up to now, I break down when I see our pictures on my phone. I hold onto them because they remind me of the character that he was to me,” Mulenga told FARPost.
“He was younger than me, but you wouldn’t notice it because of the vibe we had. We became friends in 2011, then in Zambia.
“And it so happened that he was the first to come to the Betway Premiership. At Pirates, I settled well because he was there. To me, he was a guiding star and my source of inspiration during our time at the club.
“That relationship went onto manifest at the national team level. We became so close that even after almost a year, I struggle to come to terms with the reality of his passing.
“Even when we parted ways, he remained a pillar, someone who was there for me always. I was hurt. I’m still hurt. But it’s beyond no one’s control.”
Before his death, Shonga played for Pirates, where he made 70 appearances and scored 16 goals. After the Soweto giants he had a brief stint at Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila [TTM] before switching to Cape Town City FC.
He then played for Egyptian side Ismaily SC followed by another brief spell at Sekhukhune United. He also played in Georgia as well as for Saudi Arabia’s Najran FC.
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