Tears flowed and emotions ran high at a ceremony held at Montecasino to induct seven of SA football’s luminaries into the country’s hall of fame on Wednesday evening.
Jomo Cosmos owner Jomo Sono was the first to ascend to the stage, telling the audience he was grateful to receive his roses when he can smell them.
“It’s so touching to receive your flowers when you can touch them,” a visibly emotional Sono said. “In SA we have the tendency of giving people flowers when they are dead. When I heard I was going to be inducted, I had tears coming down my eyes because I’m still here.”
Sono added it was a pity that his contemporary and fellow great, the late Ace Ntsoelengoe, was not around, but he too was inducted as two of his daughters represented him at the ceremony.
“He played with me in the US,” Sono said of Ntsoelengoe, the Kaizer Chiefs legendary superstar who passed away in May 2006. “We were in the SA all stars team that played against Argentina (in the 70s). For the first time, we shared the dressing room with white players. When we were in America we were offered a chance to stay there for some time — we were given houses, cars and a lot of things. But we said no, we have to go back home to leave a legacy. And that is now being recognised.”
Also honoured was former Chiefs maestro Teenage Dladla, who confessed to asking his wife to “pinch” him to confirm if indeed he was being inducted into the hall of fame. “When I got the call, I couldn’t believe it, I asked my wife to pinch me because I was so excited,” said Dladla, who coaches youngsters in his Ekurhuleni hometown.
Former Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba, accompanied by his family including grandkids, also ascended to the stage and shed a tear. “Unfortunately, my parents couldn’t live long enough to see this induction, but my family is here. I’m so excited that I didn’t even notice my wife was next to me in this room,” Mashaba said to an outburst of mirth from the audience.
Ex-Bafana skipper Neil Tovey paid tribute to his brother Mark — who was in attendance — for helping guide him as he started his career at Durban City before moving to AmaZulu, and eventually Chiefs.
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis and another former Bafana skipper, Lucas Radebe, completed the list of inductees.
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