The famous South African midfielder and Kaizer Chiefs’ legend, Doctor Khumalo, has replaced the football jersey with a microphone and started hosting 10bet‘s DNA Podcast. In one of the latest episodes, he touched upon an interesting topic with his co-host and TV personality, Andile Ncube.
In addition to being South African icons, these two people from different generations with different views on Bafana Bafana football are raising their voices to preserve nostalgic memories and remind us all what kasi football culture is all about. What’s there not to like?
Going Back to the Roots
Football has a weird power to it that no other sport can replicate, and that’s exactly the vibe you’d get from listening to this podcast. What started as yet another regular episode of 10bet’s DNA podcast quickly turned into nostalgic tales of the old times, with Doctor Khumalo taking the spotlight.
There’s no one better qualified for making this point than him. After all, he grew up in the township of Soweto, which is renowned for street football. Playing in Dube and other Soweto regions, he perfected his craft, convincing Kaizer Chiefs representatives to reach out and offer him a spot. The rest is history.
The thing is that this is not a story about Khumalo’s career, the Kaizer Chiefs, or even professional football. It’s about going back to where it all started: the streets. The fierce competitiveness with no financial gain. Just the people, the ball, and dust.
That’s what has made kasi football so special. It unites youngsters and allows them to dream of reaching the big scene one day, just like Doctor Khumalo did.
A Tribute to Cultural Heritage
Throughout the episode, Khumalo and Andile touched on a variety of kasi football-related topics. It was a flashback to what football used to stand for as a game created by the people, for the people.
Nowadays, that message has become blurred by the glitz and glamour of stadiums built with investor money. Everything has become monetised, and a ticket to a Sunday game has become too expensive for most families.
It’s no wonder the two were left in nostalgic awe, reminiscing about the old times when the sport provided an escape from the harsh realities of poverty and apartheid.
However, the hosts also shared a promising message for the future. The spirit of kasi football still lives on in townships all across South Africa. You can see it on the faces of Bafana Bafana players proudly representing the country at the AFCON.
Their personalities, resilience, and will to compete were moulded by the dusty suburbs, where street ball remains the number one option. Lastly, Khumalo ended on a positive note, saying that he’s reassured that the heritage of the South African pride is in good hands. Or better yet, in good feet, on the street, where it all started.
