Isihlabani sebhola esizalwa ethekwini uJoel “Fire” Faya kwaba igama laso elidumile kulo mkhakha. Waduma ngesikhathi esadlalela AmaZulu Football Club phakathi kuka-1978 no-1992. Igama lakhe langempela nguJoel Mfanafuthi Fire futhi isibongo sakhe asidumile esizweni sakwaZulu kodwa uJoel ukusho ngokuziqhenya ukuthi umama wakhe ungowokudabuka KwaMaphumulo noyise wase-Endwedwe. Wayekusho kugcwale umlomo athi, “Mina nginguMadlanduna okusho ukuthi ngiyisihlobo sakwaLuthuli.” UMadlanduna izithakazelo zakwaLuthuli.
UJoel Fire wazalelwa eMkhumbane odumile ngo-1958 kodwa akahlalanga khona isikhathi eside ngoba umndeni wakhe wabe usuphoqeleka ukuba uphume kule ndawo bathuthela Kwa Mashu ngo-1962. Kwa Mashu bathuthela endaweni ebizwa ngeMaplangweni manje osekuyhiwa u-section B.
UJoel uqale imfundo yakhe yamabanga aphansi eMukelani Primary School Kwa Mashu waphothula eMzuvele High School. Yile ndlela uJoel aphendula ngayo lapho sibuza ukuthi ngabe ukuba ngumdlali webhola bekuyiphupho lakhe yini:
“Ngaqala ukudlala ibhola njengomsebenzi wokuzilibazisa futhi angikaze ngicabange ukuthi kungaba umsebenzi kodwa bheka manje angikaze ngisebenze empilweni yami futhi ngijabule ukuziphilisa ngalokho engikuthokozela kakhulu. Bheka ngiqala ukukhokhelwa AmaZulu, inkokhelo yami yayingu-R40 kuphela ngeviki futhi ngaleso sikhathi leyo kwakuyimali enhle.”
UJoel Fire waqala umsebenzi wakhe webhola ngo-1977. Iqembu lokuqala alidlalelayo kwakuyiqembu labangaphansi kweminyaka engu-14 i-B.C Black’s, kwathi ngo-1978 wajoyina AmaZulu F.C lapho ayedlala khona kanye nabadlali abafana no-Sugar Ray Xulu wodumo. UJoel uhlonipha izingqwele zebhola ezifana no-Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe ongasekho futhi uqhubeka echaza umqeqeshi webhola lezinyawo waseNingizimu Afrika u-Clive Barker njengoyise ebholeni likanobhutshuzwayo.
UFire wadlalela AmaZulu kwaze kwaba ngu-1992 wabe esethatha umhlalaphansi enkundleni kodwa hhayi eqenjini ngoba ungumqeqeshi weqembu elithuthukisa AmaZulu futhi usahlala nomphakathi waKwa Mashu.
Ibhalwe ngu: Ntokozo Tshapa