Saddam Maake is devoted to only two things in the world: Kaizer Chiefs and his nine children.
The vuvuzela innovator's love for Kaizer Chiefs has greatly influenced his son Cellular, who recently graduated with a degree in sports management from the University of Johannesburg. Cellular has big dreams about changing the football industry for the better by becoming the minister of sports or Fifa president.
“I was raised in a family that loves sports. My father and I have one blood and I took that [love of sports] from him,” says Cellular.
Growing up and seeing his father actively involved in football matters has made him more conscious of the need for sports development in places such as Tembisa, on the East Rand, and how issues such as the Covid-19 lockdown affect vendors who make money at stadiums.
The father and son are so close they even call each other 'Skeem', which means friend or squad.
Their home in Tembisa is a shrine to the famous football club with Kaizer Chief’s trinkets and even a bottle of club champagne.
As I walk inside after “protocol is observed” of sanitising hands, I’m warmly welcomed by yellow and black football jerseys that adorn his living room.
Cellular, 25, says the biggest lesson he has learnt from his father is to face his challenges head on.
"My dad is strict and he loves challenges...he will usually tell me what to do or help me figure something out," he says.
Maake says although he has passed on his love for football to Cellular, it is important for him to have his own legacy.
"I want him to take the surname Maake higher and higher. To connect as a family and keep good friends. I want him to live a better life and get his own legacy for himself," he says.
Maake, a single father who lost two of his wives and divorced the other, says his biggest accomplishment was being able to keep his family together.
“We lost our mothers and he was there,” says Cellular.
Cellular, who was only seven years old when his mother died, says he has been going to watch football games with his father since he was six months old. But his best memory is attending the opening match at the 2010 World Cup, where Simphiwe Tshabalala scored the first goal of the tournament in a match against Mexico.
“There was a lot of anticipation in school and when my father finally told me that he has tickets I was so excited. We met so many different people and it was really fun. Although we didn’t win the game as a country, I felt that we won.”
“I was raised in a family that loves sports. My father and I have one blood and I took that [love of sports] from him
Cellular says another memory he has is when his father was honoured as the best football supporter in SA.
Maake, who has been supporting Kaizer Chiefs since its inception in 1970, says although he loves football, he did not want his son to become a football player.
“It’s a short-lived career, so I wanted him to go to school.”
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