With More Than 500 Branches Across Southern Afric
Photo By Kaizer Chiefs
By THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Kaizer Chiefs, which is dubbed “The Biggest Club” in Southern Africa, is a story to share for other clubs and brands on why supporters are key to the prosperity of an organization.
Chiefs since its founding on 7 January 1970 by Kaizer Motaung has grown to be the most decorated football club in South Africa.
Kaizer Chiefs, the most decorated club in South African football, have won more than 93 trophies.
The Gold-and-Black have won the League Championship 13, lifted the National Cup on 13 occasions, with fifteen top 8 titles (The most by any team in SA), have won the League Cup thirteen times and several unofficial cups.
But what doesn’t often get mentioned, especially when relating the prowess of the club, is the phenomenal contribution made by the Club’s supporters in the past 53 years or so of the Club’s existence.
With various nicknames from AMAKHOSI, The Phefeni Glamour Boys and Abafana Bok’thula Noxolo.
The club’s motto of: LOVE & PEACE became the symbol of hope and inspiration during the dark days of the Apartheid Regime.
The Club became another example of what the Black community could produce after the earlier football clubs like Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows.
Chiefs also became a new home for those who didn’t identify with the other clubs, or those who were left out of the political and social spaces from 1970 onwards.
The club is also credited for bringing women supporters into the game like never seen before and even today that is still very much the case.
The club notes, Amakhosi Family have, since the early days, organised themselves into branches and today there are over 500 branches across southern Africa.
According to Chiefs, “Branches are effectively the home from home for our supporters as they are in essence a social club where people who share a common interest and deep-seated love for the team and meet and engage about their passion.”
The supporters meet officially on a monthly basis guided by an agenda and minutes.
They develop plans for attending games, branch events and social activities, outreach programmes to other branches, and raising funds for Corporate Social Investments (CSI) activities.
The supporters also discuss Club related matters such as membership cards, fighting counterfeit and supporting KC Retail, KC Mobile, and KC Insurance.
The Amakhosi Magazine, KCTV and the branch newsletters information is shared with all supporters at these forums and often debated in detail.
In addition, AMAKHOSI share, “Members provide a vital supporting structure for each other and stand together through thick and thin, good and bad, happy or sad. A branch supported funeral is a totally unique and deeply respectful honour. Branches are run by passionate people who are elected to the various portfolio for a three year term. They give freely of their time and are not compensated for their effort and time in any way.”
Moreover, all Branches within a regional demarcation elect a representative structure who in turn elect a provincial committee.
Each province has two seats on the National Executive Committee (NexCo) headed up by the National Strategic Advisor.
“The NexCo 2018 strategic vision supports that of the club in terms of growing the support base across the full spectrum of our rainbow nation, improving game attendance as well as unifying the stadium experience – ‘with one voice’.
Education and capacity building within the structures are also key focus points which are addressed through leadership programmes as well as ensuring a gender balance at leadership levels,” adds AMAKHOSI
Kaizer Chiefs, the most decorated club in South African football, have won more than 93 trophies.
The Gold-and-Black have won the League Championship 13, lifted the National Cup on 13 occasions, with fifteen top 8 titles (The most by any team in SA), have won the League Cup thirteen times and several unofficial cups.
Also Chiefs notes, “If you want to become part of a branch please contact your provincial chairman or secretary who will be able to assist you with Love & Peace.”
“With the largest supporter base in southern Africa, it is simply not possible to get through even one day without spotting a Kaizer Chiefs logo. The Amakhosi faithful wear their Gold and Black with love and pride at every opportunity they get. They embrace the brand as a lifestyle choice and the jersey and ‘peace’ hand-sign is our badge of belonging and identity of who we are.
Our supporters are genuinely committed to the Club and indeed are an integral part of one big Family of Millions!
Our supporters’ say they are ‘Amakhosi 4 Life’. It is a very deep and profound statement as it’s really a lifetime commitment, and that is exactly how they feel about the Club, adds Chiefs.
“If it were not for our supporters we would not be where we are today” – Kaizer Motaung