Kaizer Chiefs legend: ‘George Lebese was signed by me!’

A Kaizer Chiefs legend recalls that it was him who brought a talented George Lebese to the club! 

Lebese joined Chiefs as a teenager at the beginning of the 2008/09 season, quickly becoming a fan favourite. 

Having joined from amateur side Arcadia, Lebese would go on to spend nine majority successful years at Chiefs. These include winning two DStv Premiership League titles in the 2012/13 and 2014/15 seasons. He would also win the Nedbank Cup and MTN 8 titles at the club. After falling down the pecking order towards the latter stages of his career at Amakhosi, he was eventually sold. 

Chiefs ended up reaching an agreement with Mamelodi Sundowns as the Pretoria side acquired Lebese’s services. In a rather frisky statement, team manager Bobby Motaung confirmed the transfer ahead of the 2017/18 season. 

Lebese left Chiefs in 2017

“The deal was concluded this afternoon (August 10, 2017). We’ve seen Lebese grow with us and we released him at his request. We are happy that the negotiations went well and an agreement has been reached with Sundowns. KAIZER CHIEFS do not stand in the way when the players express their desire to leave. It’s our policy. We thank Lebese for his contribution to the success of the team and wish him all of the best in his future endeavours.” Said Motaung at the time. 

Chiefs legend Fani Madida has since revealed the role he played in getting Lebese to the club.

Madida identified him

“George Lebese was signed by me at Kaizer Chiefs because Muhsin Ertugral was not in the country at the time. So, when Bobby (Motaung, football manager) came with George that’s when I phoned Muhsin and said there’s a beautiful player…That’s how we signed George Lebese. So, all those things I do them because of the background I have given them that I was given an opportunity so I give others an opportunity,” said Madida to Radio 200 as per Soccer-Laduma.

Lebese would also go on to play for SuperSport United before a brief spell in the USL.