Watch:UCT honors Dr. Motaung for his enormous contribution to SA football.

By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) honored Kaizer Motaung for his enormous contribution to South African football over a five-decade period.

Born in Soweto in 1944, the Chiefs supremo started his football career aged 16 when he debuted for Orlando Pirates in the early 1960s.

In 1968, he was recruited to trial for the newly formed Atlanta Chiefs, who played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the US. He impressed at the trials held in Zambia and was immediately snapped up by Atlanta Chiefs.

During that time, he achieved the top scorer award, was voted Rookie-of-the-Year and earned a place in the NASL’s All-Star team.

But when he returned to Soweto, Motaung was on a mission to fulfil his dream of founding his own team, and thus Kaizer Chiefs was born in 1970. 

Before establishing Kaizer Chiefs, one of the most successful football teams in Africa to date, on January 7, 1970, he formed Kaizer XI in 1969.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) CIC Julius Malema and a number of other party members were present to see Dr. Motaung get an honorary degree from UCT.

Malema and his party were at the forefront of the movement to honor Motaung in SA Universities while he is still alive.

The 77-year-old executive received an honorary doctorate in social sciences from the University of Cape Town.

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