Speech by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Hon. Goodenough Kodwa on the occasion of Dr Kaizer Motaung’s indution to the Hall of Fame on 9 November 2023, Montecasino Ballroom, Johannesburg
Programme Director
The guest of honour, Dr Kaizer Motaung Motaung Family
Lifetime President of SAFA, Dr Molefi Oliphant
CAF President and FIFA Vice-President Mr Patrice Motsepe Gauteng Premier Mr Panyaza Lesufi
Mr Bantu Holomisa
Representative of Tsogo Sun, Mr Feron Somiah
Chairman of the South African Hall of Fame, Johnny Burger Bro Hotstix Mabuse
Members of Media Ladies and gentlemen
Good evening
Tonight is both a special evening and one to be remembered!
I would like to thank the hosts and organisers of this prestigious event, which is deeply rooted on social cohesion and nation building, for inviting me to be part of this historic event.
The objectives of the event confirm in no doubt that it is indeed founded for social cohesion principles,
“Celebrate great achievements by extraordinary South African greats in order to Inspire and Empower our youth, to make them believe, to bring them hope and to be Inspired to reach for greatness and to stretch beyond the circumstances to reach their full potential!”
This statement reflects and resonates with values of the new South African democratic order:
- A nation concerned about the protection and development of its future, the youth.
- Ubuntu, we stand on big and strong shoulders of our forebears and pioneers, hence we can reach the future. We are here because of them! Let’s celebrate them
- A resilient people, who inspire to the best they can be, despite of their circumstances.
- Bringing Hope to hopeless situations
I therefore salute the South African Hall of Fame for the great work.
Celebrating Dr. Kaizer Motaung's legacy is an important recognition of his contributions to the world of sports, particularly in the context of South African football. Dr. Kaizer Motaung is a legendary figure in South African football, best known for his role as a player, coach, and founder of the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club.
Dr Kaizer Motaung played in a time when South African football lovers were very imaginative with the nicknames they gave to players.
“Chincha Guluva” is a nickname Dr Kaizer Motaung was given during his playing career.
In Supersport’s Pulse of a Nation, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse narrates the story of how Dr Motaung received this nickname. Playing for Orlando Pirates against Blackpool, Dr Motaung came onto the field when Pirates was behind by 3 goals to nil. Motaung
would come in and score three goals in the second half, with Orlando Pirates winning the game 4 – 3.
This indomitable spirit of “Chincha Guluva” has defined Dr Motaung’s career during his playing days, and after his playing days as the founder and CEO of one of the country’s biggest football teams, Kaizer Chiefs.
A visionary, Dr Motaung formed Kaizer Chiefs when he was still a professional footballer. He had a deliberate exit strategy. Gathering some veterans and young players, Dr Motaung assembled a team which soon started to win and attract a large following.
Kaizer Chiefs would also soon start a rivalry with Orlando Pirates, who Dr Motaung had played for. This rivalry would become one of the most famous in African football, with matches between the two clubs becoming known as the Soweto Derby. It is not by accident that these two teams hoisted the South African flag high in Africa as pioneers of great football.
Today, Kaizer Chiefs are one of the most supported and successful team in the country, in terms of trophies won, holding around 78 trophies.
Under the guidance of Dr Motaung, Kaizer Chiefs has birthed legends who have left a mark in South African football. Some of these legends include:
- Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe
- Nelson “Teenage” Dladla
- Vusi “Computer” Lamola
- Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe
- Neil “Mokoko” Tovey
- Theophilus “Doctor” Khumalo
- Isaac “Shakes” Kungwane
- Fani Madida
- Donald “Ace” Khuse
- Thabo “Tsiki-Tsiki” Mooki
- John “Shoes” Moshoeu,
- and modern legends such as Emmanuel “Scara” Ngobese
Players produced by Kaizer Chiefs have also spread the club’s legend across the borders of our country and beyond. In Leeds in the United Kingdom, where Lucas Radebe is a legend having captained Leeds United, the rock band Kaiser Chiefs was born. This band is one of the world’s popular music bands.
Dr. Motaung's commitment to youth development in football has led to the nurturing of young talent, contributing to the future of South African soccer.
I had an opportunity to speak to one of Kaizer Chiefs’ former players who also joined the team at a tender age, about the life at the club and the relationship Dr Motaung had with the players. He could not resist describing him as a caring, accessible leader who had genuine interest in his players’ wellbeing.
Underneath a naughty giggle he said the first time he met him in person having only watched him from his neighbour’s black and white TV, he saw the fashionista, the snazzy dresser Bra Kaizer!
He went to describe him as a leader that always wanted to see the players happy and showed much interest in the personal and family life of players. He would also insist on players ensuring local branches of the club supporters were thriving in their communities. Every player had to be grounded and accountable, therefore they would always be mindful of their public behaviour.
Dr Motaung not only led one of the most economically successful and popular clubs in Africa, but also played a significant role in revolutionising and modernising South African football.
In 1996, Dr Motaung, together with Dr Irvin Khoza, the Orlando Pirates Chairperson, founded the Premier Soccer League (PSL). This move brought South African football to modern standards of professionalisation, bringing more sponsors to local football.
Together with Dr Molefi Oliphant, they made it easy for football structures to separate between the amateur, professional football, and the mother body, that is PSL and SAFA.
Dr Motaung’s legacy includes the impact he has made in the business of South African sport.
As an administrator, Dr Motaung has brought a commercial and strategic savvy to South African football. His work in the PSL and at Kaizer Chiefs is seen in the kind of sponsors these entities have attracted, and how they have continued to evolve over the years.
Kaizer Chiefs was the first team in South Africa to adopt the concept of a Managing Director. The rest had Chairmen as heads of their teams. Kaizer Chiefs has become a global brand and has regularly secured significant partnerships and sponsorships. Kaizer Chiefs has also branched to businesses beyond football, such as funeral insurance – showing the business savvy of its founder…he has been a “Chincha Guluva” on and off the field! …a game changer indeed!
Dr Motaung still has a role to play in South African football. Football is still the most popular sport in South Africa, but that
does not reflect in the mood of the country and the general standard of football now.
The standard of football in the country is not good. Many teams play in facilities that are substandard, while South Africa is not at the level it should be in African and world football.
Bafana Bafana is currently ranked 64th in the FIFA world rankings, far from the positions it enjoyed in the 1990s, when the team was ranked in the top 20. We also do not see a clear direction in the junior levels of our football. What happened to that momentum that was present in the junior national teams of the 1990s and early 2000s, when Amaglug-glug beat Brazil in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, and when our junior teams would regularly play in international friendlies and tournaments.
Our African champions and World Cup history makers, Banyana Banyana have recently broken into the top 50 of the FIFA world rankings for the first time and are currently ranked 45th. Women’s football needs greater investment and support, especially when you see the potential of the Banyana Banyana team.
Lastly, all of us have experienced the frenzy brought about by the World Cup win by Springboks. The mood was ecstatic in every corner of our country. Just to plant a thought, the President of our country, Cyril Ramaphosa has declared 15th December as
a holiday, in recognition of the Springbok’s triumph. I make a call that on this National Sport Day celebration, all sport federations in the country take this day to celebrate sport, and the role of sport in nation building and social cohesion. I call on football clubs and players to take the game to communities and continue the momentum of this great mood the country is in because of sport.
We honour Dr Kaizer Motaung in a time when the power of sport is clear for all to see. May we continue to celebrate and learn from you, Dr Motaung, as we seek to revive football in the country, and take South African sport to eve
