Captain Kolobe
Mamelodi Sundowns is not only blessed with passionate supporters but also blessed with committed leaders who wants to see the team grow day by day, Ephraim Maluleke interviewed one of the leaders from LIMPOPO YA BATHO province by the name of Mahlogonolo Lucky Mahlatji famously know as Captain Kolobe to find out how they keep the province going.
Q- Growing up in Mahwelereng location in Mokopane, how did you reach to a point that Sundowns is the team that you are going to support for good?
A- The style of play "ShoeShine & Piano" attracted me, watching players like Bennett Masinga, Samuel Ewe Kambule and Zane Moosa was a plus factor for me to fall in love with the team. By then I was only 14 years old and I think it was around 1989 when I started following Sundowns.
Remember by then most of young stars used to love teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates even Moroka Swallows, I remember drawing Mamelodi Sundowns logo on my desk at school and all my classmates knew it was my desk because of that logo.
Q- when was your first time stadium experience?
A- Likely when I passed my matric in 1993 I moved to Soshanguvhe to feather my studies at Technicon Pretoria currently know as TUT and that is when I realized that I have to go watch the boys play live. Most of the games that I attended was at Odi Stadium because it was near to Soshanguvhe. I don't remember my first game but I think it was against either Kaizer Chiefs or Mahwelereng Real Rovers I was so excited to watch the boys for the first time live.
Q- How did you manage to identity our fellow Sundowns members within your village?
A- It was difficult remember I told you that most people from the village were either Chiefs, Pirates or Swallows supporters and locally we had a team that was doing wanders and it was called Mahwelereng Mother World, the team was doing good that almost everyone in the village was following it.
Believe you me, I only knew 3 people from the village that were supporting Sundowns by then, it was my brother who changed along the way and supported Pirates, his friend Mpho Digasho and one of my schools classmate.
Mpho Digasho was more of influencer because he used to intimidate residents of the village, he was so talkative and could shout out laud praising the team "Double action Sundowns, Bafana ba ShoeShine & Piano" and everyone in the streets would know that Mpho is coming.
Q- Between 1997 to year 2000 Sundowns dominated the league by wining 3 times back-to-back Premier Soccer League titles and also reaching finals of Caf Champions League.
What were you busy with during those times?
A- From 1997 to 2003 I was not working by then I was helping my Mother at a mini market and there were guys that were working next to my mothers business place hired by our neighborhood, all of them were following Chiefs and on Mondays you can imagine me alone supporting Sundowns and whenever Sundowns won they knew I was gonna make a lot of noise but they were also making noise if Chiefs had won.
It was fun teasing each other cos of our teams, they even called me Sundowns .
Q- Mamelodi Sundowns "ShoeShine & Piano" is most likely compared to F.C Barcelona "Tiki Taka" because they both have a culture of play that transform from One Generation to the other, what are some of the memories you have about the Shoeshine and Piano?
A- I have too much memories with Mamelodi Sundowns shoeshine and piano style but the one game that I can never forget was when Aubrey "Sense of Knowledge" Lekwane scored and our coach Screamer Tshabalala fainted, there are lot of games I watched during shoeshine and piano actually I have always been crazy about Sundowns and it was doing very good by then that even if we lose the game we lose it with dignity and pride, the style of play said even if we lose the game but it was always gonna be a good game.
Q- With Sundowns Changing owners from Zola Mahube to Tsichlas family till the current owner President Patrice Motsepe, did it ever scared you that we might lose our culture of play?
A- Sundowns has been blessed with owners that understand our culture of play and I think its one of the reasons they were interested in our team.
Q- in 2007 when our President Motsepe brought F.C Barcelona to play Sundowns where did you watch the game?
A- in 2007 I was already working in Marble Hall and I watched the game at work but told myself that shall it happen that our President decide to bring another top European team I won't miss such a game again, I was very happy to hear that FC Barcelona will be in the country again in 2017 and I made sure to go to the stadium and watched the game life.
Q- When Mokopane branch was launched/relaunched did you have any position, if yes what was your position and if no what did you learn from leaders at then that helped you to became such a great leader you are today?
A- Mokopane branch was known as Mahwelereng branch, when the branch was launched I was there as a member of the branch but because I was not full time home I didn't occupy any position.
One of the best decision that was taken by then interim committee was to rename the brach from Mahwelereng branch to Mokopane branch, renaming the branch worked very well because we were able to attract and engage with members that were staying outside Mahwelereng but still withing surrounding areas of Mokopane am talking of places like Moshate, Segagapeng, Maphila, Tsamahansi, Gamodiba, Gamachikire etc.
I have learned a lot from the executive, they have thought me to always remain humble and also the importance of communication, I mean in order not to lose your members you always need to communicate with them and we have been communicating and sharing ideas even after I moved to Marble hall.
Q- When you moved to Marble Hall how did you settle in terms of finding new friends to enjoy football with?
A- I moved to Marble Hall back in 2004 and it was difficult for me at first because I didn't know people from that side and whenever Sundowns is playing I had to go back to Mahwelereng in order to travel with the branch to soccer games.
Imagine spending money from Marble Hall to Mahwelereng then from Mahwelereng to the game and back, I was straggling even more on Sunday games because Monday morning I had to seek for transport to go back to Marble Hall in order to report for duty.
That straggle made me to take a decision to look for Sundowns supporters within Marble Hall and surrounding areas, it was not easy because I was unknown there and been a stranger people can never trust you with their money.
This other day I mentioned to one of my colleagues that I need to go to the game and he advised me to go to Grobblersdal taxi rank and seek information there because he always see Masandawana travelling with a banner from that taxi rank to games.
When I got to the taxi rank I explained myself and the drivers helped me to track down the guy called Mpho, I was so relieved and pleased to finally meet him plus he told me that he is not just a member but Chairperson of Morestoss branch and from then I started travelling with them to the games.
Mokopane branch was hurt to lose me because I always travel with my wife to games meaning losing me its more like losing 2 seats but it was the decision I had to take to less my expenses.
Other advantage of travelling with Morestross branch was that it became easy for me to start recruiting members around Marble Hall as they would always see me been dropped by fellow members.
Q- Your Facebook birthday wishes on Facebook, how did it start and how do you always remember all the names of those faces on your pictures?
A- hahaha for me birthdays are very much important dates for anybody's life, we have to celebrate them in full. I always make sure that when we mamola as affection clearly know by Masandawana "when we take pictures together as members whether at the stadium or Sundowns events/functions" its called Mamola and when we mamola I make sure that I asks the person am mamola with for their name and if my battery is flat I will ask the person using their phone to tag me on Facebook once they upload them and it becames easy for me to remember them.
I don't know how it started but maybe is because of the love I have for Masandawana, honestly speaking I do enjoy wishing people and Masandawana a Happy birthday on their birthdays and it means a lot to me same as when I receive birthday wishes from Masandawana and surrounding people, just imagine the happiness and smile on my face when I receive birthday wishes from some of the people that I never got a chance to meet in person.
Q- Back in 2017 when elected as Limpopo Provincial Secretary General, what adjustments did you have to make in both your social life and family responsibilities?
A- It was not difficult at all because most of my family members are now Sundowns supporters and we all share one common goal, remember I told you that I always travel with my wife to the games. When Sundowns is playing outside Gauteng especially in costal land you will find out that most of our local members won't manage to go attend the game so I could call my brothers in Gauteng and find out if they will be attending the game, if they say yes then I inform my wife that we will be attending the game, say for instance "Durban or Cape town" with Soshanguvhe branch. On the weekend of the game we catch taxi to Soshanguvhe then leave with them to the game.
Q- with Limpopo being large as it is, how do you guys as current PEC members keep the communication going, I mean from Marble Hall to Modimole, from Lephalele to Vende?
A- fortunate enough our current PEC consist of leaders from all districts of the province and that makes our job very easy, Our Chairperson is from Capricorn, his deputy is from Vembe and myself as secretary am in Sekhukhune while my deputy is based in Mopani and lastly our treasure is from Waterburg district. If the is something that needs our attention is so easy for us to communicate and check our availability, if we can't be able to attend to the matter in person due to financial matters we always use whatsapp groups to attend to arising matters.
We have a very functional watsapp group which contains of PEC members, Regional leaders, branches top 5 and provincial coordinator and we use it as a tool/platform to share ideas, distribute information, and like l said attending to some of the arising matters.
Q- Currently you serving as Limpopo Provincial Secretary General, are they any brainstorming from the PEC on how we can encourage one region to support the other in terms of Sundowns branches events/functions such as launches and so on?
A- Our biggest challenge now is the situation we are in the covid 19 era, during 2019 we were planning the biggest provincial event which was disturbed by conjunction of our teams games as we never have open weekend due to our Caf commitment.
We as PEC set down to re-plan the event and then booom this pandemic came and hit us hard, we are not making any excuses but wait and see because something big is coming from LIMPOPO YA BATHO after this pandemic.
We just hoping and praying to God that we pass this pandemic and sooner.
Q- As a provincial secretary do you mind sharing your view in regard to Tafelkop launch?
A- Tafelkop branch was launched successful because of its leaders, the leaders of that branch are always committed and well organized, I mean we had visitors from Gauteng South Province, Mpumalanga, GN, Sundowns supporters coordinator, former Miss Mamelodi Sundowns 1st princess and locals traditional dancers at the launch and that was exciting and amazing, everyone that was there really enjoyed and had fun.
Q- At the start of the season when PSL realise the fixture do you guys set a target on how many games you planning to attend? And if yes how do you identify those games?
A- No we don't do that, we just talk on WhatsApp groups and check who is going to be available for the game and take it from there.
Q- When Sundowns comes to play in Limpopo how does the PEC mobalize the game and again on the day of the game how does PEC members make sure that the visiting provinces feel welcomed?
A- I think on this one the answer is common in most of the provinces because its Sundowns culture, as PEC of the province we make sure to create a sound relationship with local pub/taverns owners around the province especially those that are not far from the stadiums were normally Sundowns visit.
So what we would normally do is to engage with PEC of those provinces that will be visiting and book one of the pubs so that after the game members can go and camp there at least until like midnight, when they leave around midnight they usually gets to their province pick up point in the early hours of the next day and it becomes easy for branches to arrange transport to their locations.
And before the game we would communicate with our branch leaders about the meet up point for meet and greet before singing into the stadium.
Q- With Limpopo now having more and more teams in both PSL and GladAfrica Championship, how does this affect the leaders of the province in campaigning for Sundowns around the province?
A- For me I see it as advantage to us because members in the province love seeing Champions play live and having more teams from Limpopo playing in top flight football it means Sundowns may be in the province for like 3 consecutive weeks and that will increase the mojo of the members to come and see the team play all the time.
Q- Lastly tell us about your Champions League away games experience?
A- It was the best memorable moment of my life, the semifinals of Caf Champions league against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca can you imagine........my first time out of the country and visiting 3 different countries in a space of a week I mean it was tiring but no one complained about it.
We went to Cairo slept there for one night and the following morning we travelled to Morocco and stayed there for like 3 days and 2 nights, when we came back home we had to come via Turkey because there was no flight to connect us from Morocco to Egypt.
On a match day against Wydad, we were treated like royalties, from the hotel to the stadium we had police escorting us. We felt like royalties and that made me see that some counties real have great reception.
Inside the stadium where we were seated the place was baragated and we really felt safe and it was easy for us to sign without been scored of stories that we read everyday on the newspaper and stories that we see every months during caf games were home team supporters would intimidate vising team.
That day I can't forget it and our boys were so encouraged to see us signing there on the stand and the vibe was amazing and unexplainable.
That game made me realize what our boys go through each and everyday of the week of the month, am talking long hours trips, training etc, remember for seven successive years we have been playing MTN8, TKO, Nedbank, Caf Champions league and yet still fighting for the PSL trophy.
Our team is working hard and we need to support them at all time, what they are doing week in week out is tiring and I don't think I can cope doing it for just 2 weeks.
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