The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
“I don’t give up easily … I have a history that gives me the zeal; a history that gives me the energy to push harder” CAPS UNITED forward Simba Nhivi fell at a very early age. A tough childhood that saw him losing both parents when he was only eight, and nearly missing out on school because his guardians could not afford to raise tuition fees, spur Nhivi on.
Now he is rising. It is the past that the drives his present.
A gifted footballer who showed much promise when he came out of Pamushana High School, Nhivi’s career has been blighted by a series of injuries and long stretches of poor form.
The 26-year-old forward admits he was low on confidence over the past few seasons following unsuccessful sojourns at South African Absa Premiership clubs Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United.
During that time some said Nhivi – who had changed his surname from Sithole – was cursed, and sought to pin his atrocious form to the supernatural.
However, Nhivi’s recent performances for Makepekepe have exposed a never say die spirit etched deep in him thanks in part to a rough upbringing and an intrinsic desire for success.
Nhivi scored one of the goals that sent Caps United through to the CAF Champions League first round a fortnight ago when Makepekepe beat FC Lioli of Lesotho 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
He created two goals last week when his side beat rivals Dynamos 3-1 in a Commander’s ZNA Charities Shield semi-final clash at the same venue.
The storming start to the year is the latest chapter to a script that took a positive turn towards the end of last season with Nhivi’s solitary strike against Chapungu at Ascot on the last day of the season delivering the title to Makepekepe.
Is Nhivi rising again?
“I don’t give up easily … I have a history that gives me the zeal; a history that gives me the energy to push harder,” said the striker after Makepekepe’s Thursday morning workout last week. “My performances have been good, I have started the new season on a high. The coach (Lloyd Chitembwe) gives me the chance to express myself. His drills, tactical guidance and general knowledge of football have really improved my game.”
Nhivi is flourishing as a winger and was imposing enough on the right flank to give the usually dependable DeMbare skipper Ocean Mushure a torrid afternoon last Sunday.
It was not always rosy
“That is my history, I can’t run away from it or change it. My life was tough from an early age, both my parents died when I was still very young and it was tough growing up.
“At some point I was the laughing stock in the neighbourhood. Meals were not guaranteed and we would vend in order to supplement what my uncle could afford. But when I remember all that, a certain motivation runs through my blood and pushes me to work extra hard,” Nhivi said.
Nhivi for a while had to abandon school for vending. Those close to him say he was an intelligent pupil at Don Bosco Primary School, but football seemed the only way out of poverty.
“I credit everything to God. Through His grace I managed to go to South Africa where I rubbed shoulders with big name players at Sundowns. It is through soccer that I am driving a nice car and happily married to my wife Melissa Kapunga,” Nhivi said.
The forward is a member of the Zion Christian Church and one of the “prayer warriors” in the Caps United dressing room.
“I have had a number of ups and downs but I don’t look back at my career with regrets. I know God is in control of everything that happens on Earth,” he added.
Nhivi’s form will be key to Caps United’s quest of making the CAF Champions League group stage when his team face former African champions TP Mazembe of the DRC next weekend.
“TP Mazembe are a very good side but these days you find that these so-called small teams are the ones causing huge upsets. Everything starts in the mind, coach Chitembwe makes us believe we can do it.
“We are focused … we will go there and see what happens but we are not afraid of them,” Nhivi declared before he attempted to drive off in his Nissan Qashqai.
But we couldn’t let him go before explaining the change from Simba Sithole to Simba Nhivi.
“When my parents died my uncle who used the surname Sithole took me in and used that surname when registering details for my birth certificate.
“But he told me to remember to change to my original surname when I could. I did so a couple of years ago. There is nothing mysterious about it,” said.
