Games that cemented Chiefs’ place in history books

Of course, the Kaizer XI had already been playing through the latter part of 1969, finding their feet in exhibition matches, but they had to evolve from a pick-up team to a proper club. The reason was that if they wanted to take part in the Rogue Beer competition, being hosted in early January 1970 with a handsome pot of R1 000 (in those days a veritable fortune), Kaizer Chiefs had to be a proper club. So, it came to pass that the founding of Chiefs was done with some haste, and much trepidation, as none of the stakeholders were yet 100 percent convinced. But they did it, nevertheless, and the official birthday of the Glamour Boys is January 7.

Their first game as Chiefs came three days later, taking to the field in the quarter-final of the Rogue Beer competition against Rockville Hungry Lions at the Orlando Stadium with Vincent Julius in goal, although he was also a top quality striker; Henry ‘Skelm Key’ Padi, Jacob Masike, Edward ‘Msomi’ Khoza, Eliakim Khumalo, Ariel Kgongoane, Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, Kaizer Motaung, Ingle Singh, Alfred ‘Bomber’ Chamane and Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala as the other members of what is now a historic starting line-up. Thomas ‘Zero’ Johnson ran matters from the bench as Chamane scored a hattrick, but Ntsoelengoe had an off-day in a 7-0 thumping to mark a glorious start for the new club. Chiefs’ first ever goal was scored by Chamane after a set-up of passes with Singh, who in later years became the owner of Pretoria City and then sold the franchise that would become what is today SuperSport United. Chamane made it 2-0 with a 25-yard free kick and, after stripping a rival defender of possession, grabbed his hattrick. Ntsoelengoe’s contribution meant it was 4-0 at half-time and already the crowds were beginning to sit up and take note of the side.

Khoza moved up from midfield to score the fifth, Singh nabbed the sixth and Motaung got the final goal. The press reports of the match said Motaung and

Screamer Tshabalala had been dribbling too much and had they not given away as much possession, the winning margin might have been even higher. Ewert Nene managed the team for the semi-final one week later against Pimville United Brothers, where Chiefs led 4-2 at half-time but ended up losing 6-5. Singh, Chamane (two), Ntsoelengoe and Tshabalala were the goal scorers, but Syd Sibeloane got a hattrick for their opposition and ‘Tokyo’ Lesolang scored an 88th minute winner. Johnson was asked to specifically return from Botswana to coach the side for the third place play-off game on January 24. The opponents … Orlando Pirates! What a mouth-watering prospect that the two clubs would meet, just weeks after the split from the Buccaneers had been formalised with the creation of Chiefs. And quickly, all the animosity of the previous year’s breakaway spilt out with several robberies and assaults in the stands. The first ever Chiefs v Pirates clash might have been just the curtain-raiser to the later final between Moroka Swallows Big XV and PUBS, but the crowd was really there to see whether Pirates would stick it to the new upstarts or Chiefs would cock a snook at their ‘ parent’ club. Percy Moloi netted and Petros ‘Ten-Ten’ Nzimande scored an own goal to put the Buccaneers 2-0 up, but two strikes from Ntsoelengoe made it 2-2 at halftime. Motaung and Moloi were duelling like two break- dancers with their display of skills, keeping the crowd enthralled. In the end, Pirates proved too strong and won 6-4.

Over the next months, Chiefs played in several other tournaments and had their first meeting with Mamelodi Sundowns, winning 3-0 at the Pretoria Muslim ground. Among the scorers that day was Tshabalala, later to go on and become Sundowns’ first trophy-winning coach.

Chiefs’ first trip out of the Transvaal province was to beat Bloemfontein Celtic 4-2 and they went out the country in May of 1970, beating Maleta Motse 10-3 at Gaborone State Prison Stadium, and then Gaborone United 3-1 the next day, with President Sir Sereste Khama in attendance.

Chiefs made a conscientious decision to tour the country to build up their fan base and had their first supporters’ club meeting on April 19 at the Donaldson Orlando Community Hall. Clarence Mlokoti was the first supporters’ club chairman and later a Chiefs director and member of the NSL executive committee. But the club’s bid to grow their fan base was not always successful. In June 1970, police needed to rescue the team after their game against Nigel United Buccaneers at Boipatong ended in chaos. The game was halted 25 minutes from time when Chiefs were awarded a penalty and the opposition reacted in fury, grabbing the ball and refusing to carry on. The angry crowd wanted the teams to continue, as they paid an entrance fee, and eventually were threatening their safety.

Chiefs won the Johannesburg Bantu Football Association tournament in June, with Ntsoelengoe the hero in a 2-1 win over Swallows for the R3 000 prize and they wrote a little piece of history in the Apartheid era by playing in a first multiracial game … beating Mbabane City 3-2 in Swaziland, who had a Belgian called Martin Thys as their goalkeeper.

Chiefs also visited Lesotho, at the invitation of the government, and beat Matlama and Linare. In the second half of the year, as the creation of the NPSL was being finalised, the top clubs played a mini league, but there were consistent problems and it was abandoned.

In September, Pirates challenged Chiefs to a game and beat them 1-0 to

keep up their 100 percent record against the new boys. “I just don’t know what is wrong with the boys,” Motaung said after the game. “They have scoring chances, but failed to use them. In our last two games, the defence has only conceded two goals, but in those same two games, the frontline could not score a single goal.” Fast-forward to 2020 and you will hear the same complaint! Match reports of the game said Pirates goalkeeper Simon Mathebula was barely troubled, but Chiefs’ custodian Banks Setlhodi worked overtime. Alfred ‘Russia’ Jacobs, one of those who was vehemently opposed to the creation of Chiefs, scored for a second time against Motaung and his ‘rebels’.

The impact of Chiefs’ first 12 months, however, was marked and despite there being no formal competition, they won several mini-tournaments. The club’s impact was perhaps best reflected at the end of the year as The World newspaper named Motaung Sportsman of the Year. The club was now truly on the map and their first league season just months away …