The fight over ‘Shaka Zulu’
Siphelele Mthembu was a junior at Kaizer Chiefs with such promise it caused an almighty rumpus when Orlando Pirates tried to poach him. They were successful too, winning a court case at the Premier Soccer League to obtain his registration. What did the now veteran striker, on the books of Cape Town City this season, make of it all?
The tug-of-war
“As young as I was, the most important thing for me was to help my mum come up from the shack. It wasn’t about me. Even if I was to die in the process, as long as they are happy at home. But then there were people who were looking after me, but also looking after their own interests. I was told that I had signed (two contracts), but I checked and it was not my signature. It was just made up. But maybe I had to go through that to advertise myself to the big leagues. And I should thank those people also because they taught me that I had to be more aware of certain things in football.” Joining Pirates
“The first experience at Pirates I was young and trying to get into the game. But it was exciting to play for one of the biggest teams in the country, one that was so rich in history. I had good and bad experiences, but that made me the player I am today. It made me ‘man enough’ to face the challenges that would come in my career. Joining Chiefs
“It was challenging to join Chiefs. I never expected to go back, I had expected to go overseas. But they put in a good offer and I felt like I owed them because I had left them in those previous years. So, I thought it was time to repay them and give whatever I had for the team. It was great going back though, (because of) the love and the professionalism they have.” Scoring for Chiefs in the derby
“Scoring for Chiefs in a derby was like a mini-heaven. When you score in front of 90 000 people, you don’t know what to do, whether to celebrate or just fly … it was exciting, and one thing I must congratulate big team supporters is that whoever you play for, they get behind their players and show them great support.”