Khoza blesses Motaung with R2m ‘to spoil himself’

Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza – who’s standing for another term unopposed in Wednesday’s league quadrennial general meeting at Sandton Convention Centre – has showered Kaizer Motaung, chairman of Kaizer Chiefs and one of the founding members of the league with R2m to “spoil himself”.

Motaung, who celebrated his 80th birthday on October 16, drove the formation of the National Soccer League in 1985, the precursor to the PSL, which was formed in 1996.

Motaung, along with former SA Football Association (Safa) CEO Raymond Hack, led the move by the clubs to take charge of their own destiny and run their own affairs when he challenged football supremo George Thabe, who headed both the professional and amateur wings of SA football.

Motaung was aggrieved when Thabe demanded a 10% portion of gate takings for the testimonial match between Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in honour of Jomo Sono and Ace Ntsoelengoe. The Motaung-led revolt led to the formation of the NSL in 1985, with its affairs run by club owners. 

The NSL laid the foundation for the formation of the PSL in 1996, in a move that professionalised SA football. Motaung was again at the forefront of that move, with the founding clubs agreeing to have an equal share of the revenue raised by the league. 

Khoza praised the selflessness of Motaung, saying his “investment in the formation of the PSL was much higher” than everyone else because of the big support base that Amakhosi has. “Brother K, thank you for your dependability. Before I call you on the podium, I have never done this before in the committee, but you have worked for SA football," Khoza said.

“So, I would like to ask the members of the Exco [executive committee] to grant me permission to grant Dr Motaung R2m to spoil himself. “Dr Kaizer Motaung has worked hard for himself. I know the pain and agony you went through to build an institution like Kaizer Chiefs and the NSL. May God bless you.”

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