Golden boy of athletics turns out to be a charlatan

It was with great disappointment that sponsors and residents of Barberton learnt of the cloud of deception that the athlete and golden boy, Aubrey Mabuza was putting them under for the past two years.

This discovery was made last week after one of his latest races at Mount Sheba near Pilgrim’s Rest.

As with all other local athletes who compete away from home, Mabuza visited his main sponsors, Barberton Ford as well as the offices of Barberton Times afterwards and shared his results.

He is well known in town, and no one ever questioned his achievements, but was joyous with the triumphs of this young man in their midst.

The truth about the way Mabuza pulled the wool over the eyes of all and sundry, came out after the story about his latest achievement, one in which he claimed he had become the new South African trial champion, with a record-breaking time of 48 minutes.

He claimed that he managed to beat the 2013 champion, Thabang Madiba who’s time was, according to Mabuza, 53 minutes.

After the story went live on this publication’s website, organiser of the event, Clive Smart of Ilanga Trails, saw it and exposed the athlete as a charlatan. “He is delusional.

The Mount Sheba Race was not the SA Championships. He doesn’t even own a pair of trail shoes and will not be representing South Africa in the trail world championships,” said Smart.

Speaking to the principal of Barberton Ford, Jean Coetzee on Monday said they wanted to make it clear that they didn’t want anything to do with the athlete anymore. “Only last week we gave him money for new running shoes,” said Coetzee.

On being asked why they never questioned his achievements, he simply asked why they would do so since he was a local athlete who went to great lengths and apparent hard work to find a sponsor.

“Many young people visit businesses in town for sponsorship and we never had any reason to question their motives,” he said.

On Friday morning, after Mabuza was informed that Barberton Times would expose him, he posted a suicide note on Facebook. On Monday, however, he was alive and kicking when he showed up at the newspaper’s offices with a letter of apology.

Speaking to other local townspeople, the mutual feeling, apart from disappointment, was that Mabuza was making life difficult for all the other honest athletes who required sponsorship to further their careers.

Not only that, but all the money and time that went into sponsoring him could have gone to an honourable young sportsperson. “We have never had any reason to question the athletes of this town until now and with these lies, chances are that other young people will struggle to gain sponsorships” said the owner of a local sport club.

Every achievement he has had to date has now come under the spotlight and is currently being investigated, as it would seem this was not the first lie Mabuza told.

Aubrey Mabuza’s letter of apology:

I know it’s wrong.

It is a sin and I never thought before doing it.
After watching the Armstrong Lie Movie, I cried because I realised that a job that you’ve been doing for years successfully can be destroyed in a day, just by one lie.

I’m not going to say I’m young, but to say I’m going to continue and be a true champion and represent my town Barberton, with honour, respect and Barberton pride.

Those who are disappointed in me, I promise to deliver like the true athlete that they met years back.

I have learnt that a lie never builds a future, but [rather] destructs your whole plan and your route to success.

From the bottom of my heart, I am very sorry.

Life on a new page with achievements is my goal now.