Kwa-Thema host turned mentor Lungelo Mdlalose transforms local football
A former player whose career was cut short by injuries finds new purpose behind the microphone, inspiring township youth and training the next generation of sports commentators.
In the world of football, some voices describe what happens on the field. Others make you feel it. Lungelo Mdlalose, affectionately known as ‘Shakazulu’, belongs firmly in the latter category.
Originally from KwaZulu-Natal and now based in Kwa-Thema, Mdlalose has built a reputation in South African football through a commentary style that combines passion, personality, knowledge and command of the microphone.
His ability to transform a football match into an emotional experience has earned him a growing following among players, coaches, supporters and communities.
For Mdlalose, however, commentary is much more than entertainment — it is a calling.
A published profile on his journey describes how he discovered his love for commentary while still at school in KwaZulu-Natal, encouraged by teachers who recognised his gift and supported by his mother.
His ambitions as a football player were later interrupted by injuries, forcing him to confront disappointment and rethink his relationship with the game.
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“Rather than allowing adversity to remove me from football, I found another way to remain inside it through my voice.
“And that decision changed the trajectory of my life. When the dream changed, the purpose remained,” he said.
For many young footballers, an injury can feel like the end of a dream. For Mdlalose, it became the beginning of another chapter.
“My journey demonstrates an important lesson about purpose — that sometimes the destination remains the same even when the route changes.
“I may not have continued my football journey as I initially imagined, but the game never left me. Instead, the field became my studio, the microphone became my instrument, and the crowd became my audience,” he explained.
What began as a passion developed into a craft. Over the years, Mdlalose has refined a style that goes beyond simply announcing goals, substitutions and match statistics.
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His commentary carries emotion, drama and cultural character. He understands that township football is not merely 90 minutes of sport, but identity, pride, aspiration, rivalry, family, community and dreams coming alive.
Mdlalose’s greatest contribution may not be the excitement he creates during matches, but what he has come to understand about the power of his platform.
“A microphone gives me access to people’s attention. And I have chosen to use that attention for more than football. My commentary has become a vehicle through which young people can hear stories of possibility,” he added.
His work demonstrates that a voice can entertain while simultaneously educating, inspiring and influencing.
Mdlalose has spoken about the responsibility commentators have to research players and teams and to provide audiences with meaningful information as they enjoy the game.
That responsibility becomes particularly significant in township communities, where local sporting events often serve as much more than competitions. They become gathering places.
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“They bring together children dreaming of professional careers, coaches building teams with limited resources, parents supporting their children, entrepreneurs looking for opportunities, community leaders seeking positive programmes and ordinary supporters looking for moments of joy,” he said.
Mdlalose’s microphone sits at the centre of that ecosystem. Among his proudest achievements is becoming the lead commentator for the Nomndayi Community Games in Kwa-Thema.
The opportunity represents far more than another item on a professional résumé. The Nomndayi Community Games have become a platform where football, community participation, and youth development intersect.
For Mdlalose, occupying the commentary position means becoming one of the voices that documents and gives meaning to those moments.
“Every goal that I announce becomes part of a memory. Every player’s name I call becomes part of the story. Every dramatic moment I capture through my voice becomes part of the collective history of the tournament,” he said.
For a young player, hearing their name celebrated over a loudspeaker can become something they remember for the rest of their lives.
For a coach, hearing their tactical work recognised can reaffirm years of sacrifice. For a parent, hearing their child’s achievement amplified can become a moment of immense pride.
Mdlalose’s story is that he has refused to keep his knowledge to himself. Having travelled his own difficult road, he is now mentoring young aspiring commentators and helping the next generation discover their voices.
This represents a significant evolution in his journey. At first, he was a young boy discovering that he had a voice.
Then he became a commentator, learning how to use that voice. Now he is becoming a mentor, teaching others how to find theirs.
That is how legacies are built. A career becomes a legacy when your success creates space for somebody else to succeed.
“My mentorship is therefore not simply about teaching young commentators how to speak into a microphone. It is about teaching them confidence, preparation, research, storytelling, discipline and the responsibility that comes with having an audience,” he explained.
He is demonstrating that the microphone is not merely a tool for making noise. It is a tool for shaping minds. His journey from KwaZulu-Natal to Kwa-Thema is therefore not merely a geographical one.
It is a journey from dreaming to doing, from adversity to reinvention, and from personal talent to community impact.
For the young person sitting at a township football ground today, watching Mdlalose work the microphone, the lesson is bigger than commentary.
“Your circumstances do not have to determine the size of your future. You may start with limited resources. But your gift can still find another route,” he said.
Mdlalose’s story is a reminder that talent can emerge in unexpected places, and that proximity to opportunity can become powerful when combined with dedication, familiarity, discipline and purpose. His microphone has become more than a source of commentary.
