Kaizer Chiefs is an empire‚ says Neil Tovey on former boss Kaizer Motaung's birthday

16 October 2018 - 12:20
By Ofentse Ratsie
Kaizer Chiefs founder and chairman Kaizer Motaung was born on this day, 74 years ago, in 1944.
Image: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix Kaizer Chiefs founder and chairman Kaizer Motaung was born on this day, 74 years ago, in 1944.

Kaizer Chiefs legend Neil Tovey has paid tribute to Kaizer Motaung on his 74th birthday on Tuesday‚ saying it must be extremely pleasant for him to see how everything has come together since the club was founded 48 years ago.

Motaung‚ a South African football icon and leading figure in football‚ founded Chiefs in 1970 as a breakaway from Orlando Pirates‚ with the Glamour Boys going on to become the biggest club in SA and the Buccaneers’ fiercest rivals.

Tovey‚ a former Chiefs defender and Bafana Bafana’s 1996 Africa Cup of Nations-winning‚ took to the club’s official website to congratulate Mr Motaung his 74th birthday.

"Kaizer doesn’t like people making too much of his birthday‚ " said the Safa technical director.

"People always say that a person gets wiser and wiser with each birthday‚ which would mean that we can still expect a lot of the man who founded Kaizer Chiefs.

"Kaizer built an empire‚ as that’s what the club is.

"It must be extremely pleasant for him to see how everything came together after the club was founded on January 7‚ 1970.

"Because when Kaizer Chiefs started‚ he probably never realised how big the club would become.

"Kaizer is a remarkable person and I wish that he will continue and continue to contribute to SA football.

"I wish him a healthy year‚ as that’s what is important in life."

Motaung was greeted by an ovation of singing workers on his arrival at Chiefs’ village at Naturena‚ outside Soweto‚ on Tuesday.

Flooding social media with birthday wishes‚ celebrities‚ soccer pundits and fans are expressing their love through pictures and 280 characters.