In July, the University of Cape Town will confer an honorary degree to the great Kaizer Motaung. At the university’s graduation ceremony on July 22, the founding owner of Kaizer Chiefs will receive an honourary doctorate in social sciences as a token of appreciation. One of the seven people who will be honored that day is the chairwoman.
The Chiefs executive, who was born in Soweto in 1944, made his professional football debut at age 16 for the Orlando Pirates in the early 1960s. He was asked to try out for the recently established Atlanta Chiefs, a team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the US, in 1968. He made a good impression during the trials held in Zambia, and Atlanta Chiefs instantly signed him.
Motaung left a lasting legacy in the National Soccer League, which eventually adopted the trading name “Premier Soccer League,” as he essentially established a stellar playing reputation in America before he founded the formidable Amakhosi.
Motaung returned to South Africa after the 1969 campaign and started Kaizer XI, which later adopted the moniker Kaizer Chiefs, a combination of his name and Atlanta Chiefs. Later, Motaung transformed Kaizer Chiefs into one of the most renowned and well-respected clubs in South Africa. He has made and will continue to make a priceless contribution to national football.
From the start of South Africa’s first multiracial league in 1978 to the present, he has made immense contributions to the local game and Chiefs. In a friendly matchup against Manchester City, Kaizer Motaung made his North American debut with the Atlanta Chiefs as a replacement. It’s said he made a spectacular debut in that game by scoring twice. Motaung, who has an amazing left foot, scored goals for joy in the US and was essential to Atlanta winning the league championship that year. He not only scored 16 goals in 15 games, but he also picked up four assists throughout that season, earning him the Rookie of the Season award.
Motaung still holds the record for the most goals scored in a season while a member of the Atlanta Chiefs’ outdoor team with a total of 16 goals. In the 1980s, they were quickly modified and converted to an indoor side.
Since then, the political opposition party has backed the chairman, the statement reads
“The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the decision by the University of Cape Town (UCT) to bestow South African Football Legend Kaizer Motaung with an Honorary Doctorate. The University of Cape Town will on the 22nd of July 2022, honor Ntate Kaizer Motaung with an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences, for his tremendous contribution to Sports Development. The EFF recognizes and salutes the Commander in Chief and President of the EFF, Julius Malema, who at the 2nd National People’s Assembly (NPA) of the organization, called for Kaizer Motaung to be honored for his service to the footballing fraternity in Africa.”
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