Can a gear-lock cause the gear cable to loosen up?

My Corsa has had a U-type gear-lock since day 1. Now Corsa's Reverse gear is on the leftmost top; the type where you have to lift the gear knob and push it to the extreme left and then up. The gear-lock is engaged in this position. Every time I engage the gear-lock, I can hear the "click" of the gear-lock having been engaged completely only after the gear-lever has been moved about a cm. or so away from its regular position (when gear-lock is not engaged). Recently, the gear cable became loose due to which R-1-3-5 (the upper gears) were not being slotted confidently. I had to slot a few times to get the perfect slot for each gear. Reverse being the worst; at times the car moved but the Reverse lamp did not glow. When I took it to A.S.S.; the guy opened the box under the gear lever and mentioned that some particular part has too much play. The gear cable has consequently been replaced and the gears are slotting very well. I mentioned that the gears are slightly hard; the SA mentioned that this normal and earlier they were smooth because the gear cable had some play in it. Now, here's what I'm wondering. Could the daily and regular movement of the gear lever away from its normal Reverse position cause the gear lever to develop play? The SA couldn't answer this question; either the gear-lock and gear cable are totally un-related or otherwise. What say?

URL: