Some of you must have seen on social media that we, some of South African football legends, were in Namibia last weekend, where we took part in the President's Cup against our Namibian counterparts. Let me thank the Namibian President for inviting us, thanks also to the Local Organising Committee. We really appreciate and enjoyed every moment spent in Namibia. The hospitality was unbelievable and I don't think some of our players who were there will ever experience such hospitality again, that's just how special everything was. Being hosted by the President of the country, at the State house, for dinner and mingling with him, and the First Lady being so humble and accommodating was just special. Let me not forget the Deputy President, Prime Minister and all the dignitaries that took care of us. It was such a humbling experience and I also want to thank the Namibians for the warm reception and support. We really appreciate everything you've done for us this past weekend. Thank you also to FarPost for sponsoring us as well as FutPro for providing us with the attire, and you made us look like a decent team. Well done to our team for not disappointing our country and winning the game 6-5 on penalties.
Doc Answers Your Questions…
Please don't forget to send your questions to editor@soccerladuma.co.za for now, until further notice.
Gavin Ryan wants to know whether being Pro Khumalo's son influenced the decision to become a Kaizer Chiefs player.
Honestly, being my dad's son exposed me to Chiefs more than any other team because I was always there at the stadium, watching them play and even watching their training sessions, as I mentioned a few weeks ago. However, most of our readers will remember how I almost signed for Chiefs' arch-rivals, Orlando Pirates, and how Bobby Motaung saved the day, as I also mentioned in my column a few years ago. So, I'm not sure what to make of the situation, but there was a definite influence my dad had on my career and the relationship I developed with Amakhosi.
Danny Moreo suggests that SAFA select an assistant for coach Hugo Broos in case Helman Mkhalele doesn't get his qualifications on time for January's Afcon.
I am sure the technical team and the Association are on top of things and know exactly what they are going to do.
Being Doc
It is so amazing that I am reminiscing about words of wisdom from iconic individuals. Here I am, wondering whether I was the chosen one or the fortunate one? These words, from all the people I have mentioned and those I am yet to talk about, made me who I am today. You don't have to be arrogant, ill-disciplined or ignorant towards people because you never know what tomorrow has in store for you. You always have to listen and respect what is being said to you because people might be seeing something in you that you don't even have a clue that you possess.
Coaches I've worked with: Is it because she's a woman?
I know I have been profiling a lot of iconic individuals within the South African football fraternity on this page. The reason I'm doing this is so that we remember who is behind the wheel of football in this country. It is important to give people their flowers while they can still smell them, in recognition for their contribution to our Beautiful Game. There are so many others that are yet to be featured, but their time will come. This week, I have decided to profile a very powerful lady in our football, someone who has done so much for this game and continues to make an impact. She's impacted football even from the rural areas and her name and contribution is well-documented even at CAF. She hails from Limpopo and her name is Ria Ledwaba. For those who don't know, this woman used to own a professional football team called Ria Stars. This is a team that produced a number of players, most of whom went on to make it big in football. I'm talking about the likes of Lucky Lekgwathi and Thapelo Liau, just to mention two. This is a very humble and quiet person. She's always factual and truthful. If you were to get a chance to have a conversation with her, all she's about is football and not politics. The vision and how the structures should be operating. She will be talking about how football should be run and what we need to do to get our teams going again. You will have goosebumps listening to Mama Ria talking football because of her passion for the sport. Whenever I meet up with her, whether at functions or events, there is always a warm hug coming my way. After that, she will ask me about the family, and I would also do the same.
Believe it or not, there is so much I have gained from having conversations with Mama Ria over the years. Football problems and solutions as well as ideas she has for the game. This being a democratic country, everyone has their own opinions that they are entitled to. This woman addresses issues in a calm, aggressive way because you can feel the honesty and passion whenever she makes a point. She's seen and experienced it all in football, having been an administrator and club owner for years. She's been with SAFA, CAF and running her Foundation, and that tells you everything you need to know about her experience. I'm talking about someone who gets regular invites to African seminars and she gets to do presentations on African football, not just South African football. Do you want to tell me she doesn't carry enough weight to be given an opportunity to express her feelings and utilise the experience she's gained over the years in the football fraternity? Is it because she's a woman? Time will tell! I'm not saying she should be our SAFA President, but if she's good enough, why not? There's no discrimination when it comes to power, hence I mentioned that this is a democratic country. If it is, indeed, then we should look at how we do things. Funny enough, as experienced and knowledgeable as she is, she's not in the structures that run our football, yet we have, in our structures, people working against the development of football in this country. Unfortunately, one of them has exposed himself on social media to prove that he doesn't understand what development and leadership is all about. This is not about politics, but if you were to compare Mama Ria against some of the people in our structures, it is chalk and cheese. However, politics just don't want to allow her into the system. I was disrespected by an NEC member and he doesn't even come close to Mama Ria in terms of achievements and contribution to our football. Our football, except for the PSL, is not progressing, but it is collapsing. That's because deserving people are being sidelined because of political reasons. I get so emotional and frustrated! This powerful woman is being deprived an opportunity to express her expertise in our football. Nothing lasts forever, we all know that. Legends went to Namibia and they were hailed, respected and celebrated, and this reminded me of Mama Ria because the legends are very close to her heart.
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.
Doc's Friend Zone
Being a grown family man and a retired footballer, I see and meet people on a completely different level than I used to be back in the day when I was still playing. Now, as one of the people close to Mama Ria, she opened her arms and welcomed me into the world of the adults. I meet her at so many events and football tournaments across the country and she always talks about the legends and their importance in the Beautiful Game. Because we are now wearing friendship caps, we exchange messages and call each other from time to time just to check in and share ideas. Look, we always have informative engagements that make me feel a better person, because of her experience, and it is not always just football but life in general as well. I'm very close to Mama Ria and regard her as one of my friends because she's played a big role in my life. At the end of the day, what I like is that she never tramples on anyone's toes. All our discussions are about football, our lives and ideas we both have. Not even once have we ever mentioned anyone's names or of those who are in charge of our football in our discussions. That's the kind of relationship we have as we are always about positivity. I really appreciate having Mama Ria in my life because we even invite each other to family events and ceremonies. We talk pretty much about everything because of the friendship that we share. Thank you so much, Mama Ria.
