Thank you very for affording me an opportunity to address this 75th Birthday of Orlando Pirates, the Peoples’ Team of the Republic of South, the Giant of Soweto; and the ‘Black Star’ of Gauteng.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the year 2012 marks the seventy five years of the fighting spirit of Orlando Pirates, one of the most remarkable football clubs ever produced in the history of South Africa, Africa and the world.
Orlando Pirates was born in the dusty streets of Orlando seventy five years ago. It was born in struggle. It knew pain and struggle.
At the time when Pirates was formed 75 years ago, “The 1937 Aliens Act” was passed by the White Regime, banning German-Jews from entering South Africa. Threatened by the increasing number of Jews immigrating into South Africa (fleeing from Nazi persecution) and motivated by their narrow Pro-Nazi attitudes, the regime brought the migration to almost a complete stop through their Anti-Semitic actions.
At the same time, a year earlier in 1936, the 1936 Native Trust and Land Act were enacted. The Act integrated land identified by the 1913 Land Act into African Reserves, and thereby formalised the separation of White and Black rural areas. The Act established a South African Native Trust (SANT); which purchased all reserved land owned by Africans; not yet administered by the State; and took on the responsibility for administering African reserves.
Thus, in 1937, the year Orlando Pirates was founded; “The South African countryside as a whole; outside of the African Reserves became what it had long been in the Cape: a land, neither of plantations; nor of smallholders; but large White owner-occupied farms worked by a harshly exploited black force."
Therefore, the formation of Pirates was not an accident of history. Pirates was born in struggle; it was born to struggle; but in that struggle Pirates was born to conquer. AmaBuccaneers were established as a strong African Team of quality but at the same time to mobilise our sport loving people to fight for a better future; for a better sport system in our country.
Like the African National Congress (ANC) celebrating its Centenary this year 2012; the People’s Club also lowers its banners to respect and celebrate the colossal bravery and heroic role played by its founding fathers 75 years ago. Everyone in the Club takes this important moment to thank all the founding fathers for their vision to establish a “Giant” like Buccaneers to shaken all the ‘walls’ of football warriors.
Ama-Pirates (as affectionately called by Pele Pele in the late 1930s) during the dark days of oppression gave our people hope, not only through your dancing shoes in the football pitch but also through passion to be with the people in times of pain and sorrow.
You encouraged their upliftment during the hour of disempowerment, you became a shelter to those who were homeless because instead of being on the streets on Weekends you brought them to the stadiums; to those who felt lonely and submerged you lifted them from those dark-holes into the vibey Social Upliftment events that you organised every Wednesdays.
You were an extended family to others who needed comfort and love during the time of neglect and prejudice and gave them a home called Orlando “amaBuccaneers” Pirates. We know that you cared and still care for your supporters as you care for the people of the Republic of South Africa.
We want to take off our hats to your chairman, Dr Irvin Khoza, for the sacrifice he made by spending almost all his time to help South Africa to bring the 2010 FIFA World Cup home. This is an attitude and spirit of Pirates that is depicted in the history I have cited above.
We also know that this club has always used its high profile to position the country and the game of football in South Africa, Africa and the world. You represented us in Africa with diligence; without doubt we know that you are going to do so again and again!
For you to be founded alongside the pain endured by Jews under White Minority rule (The Aliens Act) bears testimony to your deep understanding and appreciation of non-racialism and non-racial sport. For you in 1945 to join the non-racial South African Soccer League based in KwaZulu - Natal at the time was the epitome of a visionary leadership. You flew the flag of non-racial sport till the end.
You flew this flag of non-racialism till the 1992 Unity Talks; we are proud of you! No wonder why the founding fathers chose the ‘black and white’ colours; they knew it symbolises unity; it symbolises the value of ‘united in diversity’; it symbolises South Africa and its people!
We know that it is not by coincidence that you filled all the stadiums to capacity during the 2010 FIFA World Cup it is embedded in the sporting spirit of all the fans and supporters of Orlando Pirates; you also did that during the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations. You did not boo any player that committed a mistake even if he was Pirate or not! But you encouraged every South African Player to play well. These are characteristics of a People’s Club and a Peoples’ attitude.
Hence, during this space and time, all South Africans should observe special moments to recognise the immense sacrifice made by the founding fathers of Orlando Pirates and all the men and women who came after them in the struggle for a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic sport system in South Africa as well as all those who fought for freedom and liberty.
At the same time our people must be engaged and mobilised in a national celebration marking both the 75 and the 100 years of the fighting spirit of the African National Congress and Orlando Pirates and marking the Century of Africa Struggles to end colonialism and white minority rule as well as the promotion of human rights, human solidarity and human sacrifice including social cohesion and nation building.
Let us take this opportunity of this 75th Anniversary of the African Giant, Orlando Pirates, to send our heartfelt condolences to the Government of Egypt and its people especially to the families of those who lost their lives during the stampede and killings that took place few days ago.
We want to assure all South Africans that scenes of that nature will never show their ugly heads in the sporting fields of the Republic of South Africa. Our laws that articulate our attitude to safety and security at all sporting events are very clear on such matters.
In such matters we will leave no stone unturned into finding any act of negligence, incitement and perpetuation of violence and criminality on our sporting events.
To conclude, Orlando Pirates is a history taught! The Happy People gave birth to successful players and teams. It formed part of the mobilisation of the African people to rally behind the fight against a system of apartheid. We are grateful to those visionary leaders and masses who used it as a tool to keep our people united. We know the history of this team is well decorated, “Once a Buccaneer always a Buccaneer”!
The team well known, as a Team no Sissies, but hard knockers, and in the long-run because of the necessity of change it transformed itself, hence today all over the country, you see beauty in the stands of football fans, you can even get married on those stands because Pirates is the family to all. That's The Sea Robbers! This is what it means to be a Pirate!!
Thank you.
