The biggest football club in the southern hemisphere, the Mighty Amakhosi, celebrated its 56th birthday this week. The Phefeni Glamour Boys were founded by Kaizer “Chincha Guluva” Motaung in 1970, after a successful stint playing in the US. Over the years, Motaung has built one of the most recognisable brands in SA.
The team boasts a history of being the most successful club in the country, having won more trophies than any other side since the formation of a professional league. It is no wonder Kaizer Chiefs fans can outnumber any other supporters anywhere in the country. Every Chiefs game feels like a home game, even when played away.
This loyalty persists despite the team’s underwhelming performances over the past decade. Chiefs fans remain steadfastly devoted to the brand, despite a series of heartbreaks in the past 12 years.Ikhosi aliphel’umoya. This is why I tend to understand the loyalty of ANC supporters – another institution thatcelebrated its 114th birthday yesterday.
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Just like Chiefs, the ANC has a rich and storied history. Founded in 1912 to unite the oppressed, attain freedom, and build an equal society, the ANC became the vessel through which generations of South Africans fought for liberation. Many freedom fighters abandoned their families, sacrificed their lives, and joined the Struggle to achieve a free SA.
Those who took up the fight risked torture, imprisonment, or even death. These are the men and women to whom we remain forever indebted. The ANC also has a record of having changed the face of SA.
Since 1994, its transformation policies have led to the creation of a large black middle class that did not exist under apartheid. These same policies are today under attack from right‑wing organisations such as AfriForum. In the early years of democracy, many black townships that had never had access to electricity or running water were finally connected.
The government also achieved significant progress in building houses for deserving citizens, offering dignity to millions who had been denied it for generations. At114, the ANCis the oldest black political party in the world and is seen as belonging not just to South Africans but to the black experience globally. However, in the past 15 years, many of these achievements have been reversed. Several factors have contributed to this decline.
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