The South African Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held at Montecasino on Wednesday, 20 November 2024, was a momentous occasion for Kaizer Chiefs legends. The event recognised the outstanding contributions and achievements of seven sports icons, including four Amakhosi legends.

The late Patrick ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, Nelson ‘Teenage’ Dladla, Niel Tovey, and Lucas Radebe were inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining an elite group of South African sports heroes. The other inductees included Dr. Jomo Sono, Banyana Banyana coach, Dr. Desiree Ellis, and former Bafana Bafana coach, Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba.

The evening was enhanced by the presence of the inductees' families, friends, former teammates, and football administrators. The late Ace Ntsoelengoe's daughters, Ofentse and Boipelo, represented him, and Ofentse acknowledged the recognition on behalf of their father. "His legacy extends beyond his impressive stats and accolades; he touched hearts, mentored minds, and shaped futures," she said. Ntsoelengoe had a decorated career at Kaizer Chiefs for almost two decades, becoming the Club’s all-time top goal scorer with 250 goals.

Teenage Dladla, who made the jersey number 11 famous, expressed his gratitude to Kaizer Chiefs Chairman, Dr. Kaizer Motaung, for bringing him to the Club. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have reached the heights I did," Dladla said. His remarkable career at Kaizer Chiefs spanned over a decade, with his hat-trick against Durban City in 1979 securing the Club's third league title, and first in the multiracial era.

Dladla's time at Kaizer Chiefs was marked by incredible success, including 29 trophies won between 1980 and 1989. He reflected on his first moments at the club, sharing that the players supported him despite the death of founding member, Ewert Nene, who was killed because he wanted to bring Dladla to Amakhosi. "When I arrived, the players didn't reject me because Ewert Nene died; instead, they told me that Bra E saw something in me and to go out there and show us what he saw."

Niel Tovey, who captained Kaizer Chiefs for 10 years, also acknowledged Dr. Motaung's role in his career. "I'm grateful for what the Chairman and the family did for me; it was exceptional," Tovey said. He spoke highly of his brother, Mark, who also played for Kaizer Chiefs. "Mark has always been my mentor; my success can be attributed to him. What I know is because of Mark." Tovey also led Bafana Bafana to their first continental glory in 1996, winning the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

Lucas Radebe, another former captain, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. He played over 100 matches and won several trophies before joining Leeds United in the English Premier League. "What we did was not for the accolades nor the attention, it was for the passion,” he said. Radebe represented the national team at two FIFA World Cup tournaments, in France 1998 and in Korea and Japan in 2002.

Current Chiefs captain, Yusuf Maart, was also in attendance and emphasised the importance of this recognition. "This should serve as an inspiration to the current generation of players. Players should not think they've made it when they arrive at Chiefs. In fact, that's when the hard work should begin,” Maart said.

Photo Credit: Charmaine Visser