‘Kaizer Chiefs were paying me R200, I ran away’ – Sangweni

Former Orlando Pirates captain Siyabonga Sangweni once played in the Kaizer Chiefs development. Find out why and how he ran away at night.

HOW SIYABONGA SANGWENI LEFT KAIZER CHIEFS

Speaking to the media last weekend during the opening of the Siyabonga Sangweni Sports Complex in Dondotha, Sangweni revealed he was once at Kaizer Chiefs. The former central defender says he was given R200 for soap at Naturena, but a club from KwaZulu-Natal soon offered him R1 500 to dump Kaizer Chiefs.

Sangweni said he told his suitors to fetch him at Naturena during the night for an escape.

“The team that I was playing for fetched me from Chiefs Academy,” Sangweni told journalists, as quoted by FARPost’s Sinethemba Sithole.

“In 1999, I was in the Kaizer Chiefs academy, but I ran away, Bobby [Motaung] knows the story. The likes of Jabu Pule and [Nhlanhla] Kubheka, we were in that team that was going to be promoted.

“But I just felt that this thing of being given R200 to buy a bathing soap while at home there is a team that can give me R1500 salary… I would be able to share a little with my mother from that.

“I told them [Bongani FC owners] to fetch me at night, they came and stole me. At Chiefs, they woke up and I was no longer there. They eventually saw me emerge at Golden Arrows and it was late.”

SIGNED FOR AMAKHOSI IN 2010 BUT MOVED TO ORLANDO PIRATES?

The former Bafana Bafana central defender also explained how he re-signed for Amakhosi from Golden Arrows, but suddenly ended up at Orlando Pirates.

“My father wanted me to play for Chiefs, but my mother was close to Mato [Madlala, Golden Arrows chairlady],” he added.

“Before mom passed away, she said everything you will do, here is your mom [pointing at Mato Madlala] who will tell you what to do in football. I told Mato I wanted to go to Chiefs and she said, ‘Okay you will go’.

“I signed with Chiefs in 2010 and told Mato: ‘I’ve signed with Chiefs and have to start on Tuesday’. 

“Sis Mato then told me they want you at Pirates. I was confused how because I was done with Chiefs. She said forget about that, I’m your parent and everything will go well.

“After that, chairman [Irvin Khoza] phoned me and said, ‘Look, we have spoken with your mom. You belong at Pirates now’ and I eventually agreed. They booked me a flight for a meeting to discuss contracts in Johannesburg.

“And that was the end of the story, I ended up Indoda Emnyama, Once and Always.

“Did Kaizer Chiefs not protest the deal? “Perhaps they made agreements with Chiefs, but I was no longer there,” Sangweni concluded.