Doc’s memory bank: I don’t think she remembers that

I remember one trip we made as Kaizer Chiefs to go and play Ria Stars in Limpopo. I had heard a lot of good things about this team and kept wondering what to expect from the owner. That was not just an ordinary team and everyone who played against them or even watched them play can attest to this. It was an evening game and they gave as much as they got. After the final whistle, we exchanged pleasantries and shared some moments with the opposition on the field. I can’t remember which Stars player pointed towards Mama Ria and told me she was their boss, this after I had been asking about this Ria Ledwaba that almost everyone was raving about. I had expected to see a gigantic woman who was arrogant and all that, but that was not the case at all, to my surprise. When you see a team playing like Ria Stars used to do, the last thing you expect to see is such a humble owner. As we walked towards the change room, I walked up to greet her. We hugged and she told me, “What a good player! Continue looking after yourself because this country needs you”, and I don’t think she remembers that, but that’s exactly what she told me. These are the kinds of people that have impacted my life, long before I became who I am today. Those words stayed with me and if you look at my life and career, you can clearly see what she meant, although I don’t know how she managed to see into the future. This same woman, years later, became one of the most important figures in my life. I will always tell her: I’m one person who never forgets, especially words of wisdom. I just want to say thank you, Mama Ria.