Racing driver mourns late colleague

Qumbu-born racing driver Tschops Sipuka yesterday paid tribute to his friend, the

late Gugu Zulu, who died on Monday while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Sipuka said Zulu, also a racing driver, was like a brother to him, a friend and an ever-smiling person who was always doing good.

“We are heartbroken by his untimely passing,” said Sipuka. “We send our deepest condolences to his entire family. The good things that he did will continue.”

Sipuka said Zulu’s death had come as a shock to the entire country but he was saddened and bitter that many people were only now starting to recognise that he was a big name in motor-racing in the country.

He said that people should celebrate their heroes while they were still alive so they could inspire others to do well in their different fields.

“For lack of a better word, this is silly,” said Supuka. “He’s celebrated because he’s no more. Why can’t we celebrate our people while they are alive so that we can link with them to get ideas and share them with others?

“We need to change our mind-sets, not only regarding Gugu, but other people as well.”

Zulu was climbing Kilimanjaro in a group which included his wife in a Trek4Mandela expedition meant to raise funds for sanitary towels for more than 300000 schoolgirls.

He experienced breathing problems while climbing and was taken to hospital but later died.

“He died for a good cause. His life was lost while he was doing good, a thing he loved to do,” said Sipuka.

“He was a champion, a true hero who has done many things for many people.”

Sipuka and Zulu met in 1999 and although they were both talented racing drivers, they were never rivals as they raced in different divisions. Instead they always shared notes and gave advice to each other.

“There was no rivalry but I was happy to see another man of colour coming into the sport and making an impact, but not in a racial way. I was truly happy. Before me there was Philip Kekana who raced but is not known,” said Sipuka. “We should also celebrate him while he’s still alive.”

Sipuka stopped racing in 2013 but said he had been “in touch” with Zulu. They last met in person in May at the OR Tambo International Airport and Zulu told him about his child and his happy family.

“We’ve spent time at Kyalami, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth together. We would talk for hours about what we are doing. He always called me mfondini, ” said Sipuka.

He added that Zulu was the type of person who would always have a smile on his face, even when he was not happy.

“I couldn’t understand that about him – he always wore a smile even when he was angry. He also cherished his family. He was very rooted to his family structure and was known as a family man, a loving husband and father. We will miss him.”