adminWILLARD Mashinkila-Khumalo famously once said his namesake was too beautiful to play football.
That was after Bafana Bafana’s four-goal humiliation by the Dream Team at the National Sports Stadium in 1992.
But, Doctor Khumalo was that and much more. A Bafana reject, a blue eye, a Dube bird, a child star, a ladies’ man, a man of the people, a superstar and a legend.
This emerged during the premiere of ‘16V Doctor Khumalo: Untold,’ a four-part documentary series on the life of the Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs legend.
On Sunday night, Mzansi got a glimpse into the life of Khumalo, arguably the most famous footballer in the country, through the first episode of the docuseries broadcast on DStv’s Mzansi Magic.
His story, told through friends, family, journalists, politicians, former teammates, opponents, coaches, administrators and the man himself, captured the country’s imagination just as his contribution to football did.
Here FARPost looks at some of the things we learnt about him:
ORLANDO PIRATES WANTED HIM
There was a time where Pirates were close to signing him. Bobby Motaung, Chiefs’ football manager, took a taxi from Brits, where there was a football tournament, to Johannesburg to alert his father Kaizer Motaung about Pirates’ plot to sign the young gem. On the day that Khumalo signed a professional contract with Chiefs, Pirates officials showed up at his house at 11pm.
OMITTED FROM BAFANA’S FIRST SQUAD
For South Africa’s first ever international match in 1992, Khumalo was initially not in the squad announced by then coach Jeff Butler.
WANTED TO BAIL OUT OF DEBUT AGAINST PIRATES
Khumalo revealed that he was so nervous that he wanted to flee the scene just before Chiefs faced Pirates at Ellispark Stadium in 1987. Khumalo says he wanted to go to the dressing room where he planned to take off his boots and playing kit. However, Chiefs maestro Ace Ntsoelengoe told him he was going nowhere. Khumalo’s plan to catch a taxi home was foiled and he had a blinder of a game.
MUGGED EN ROUTE TO TRAINING
Khumalo had to walk long distances and navigate his way around some of the notorious streets in Soweto. One day he was mugged by 10 guys, who took his training paraphernalia. “One day,” he shouted at them, “you are going to watch me play at Orlando Stadium and you are going to pay.”
A HIT WITH THE LADIES
Blessed with not only scintillating skills but also good looks, Khumalo was a ladies’ magnet. He was such a hit with the ladies that women used to hog him at soccer matches. Teammates and staff had to drag him from hordes of members of the fairer sex, who wanted a piece of him at stadiums where some would flock to the pitch. – Sports Reporter/FarPost
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter