It was an emotional return to the suburb where he began life as a professional footballer. But this time around Mabhudi Khenyeza received a home coming reception like never before when he visited Lamontville in Durban with the rest of the Kaizer Chiefs first team as part of the Asiphephe pedestrian awareness campaign.

The Amakhosi journeyed to Southern Durban on Tuesday and received a warm welcome in Lamontville, the birth place of Chiefs PSL rivals Golden Arrows and the former club of Mabhudi Khenyeza. It was to jam packed streets and community centre that greeted The Amakhosi, and Mabhudi Khenyeza naturally received the loudest cheer when introduced to the fans who had been waiting from early in the morning to catch a glimpse of the Amakhosi.

Khenyeza’s tribute to Rocky

Prior to the event getting underway, the Chiefs players observed a minute of silence for the recently deceased Lamontville Golden Arrows club official Mandla Hodges Madlala, commonly known as Rocky by his friends.

Khenyeza paid tribute to ‘Rocky’ adding, “Rocky will always be in my memory as he was responsible for getting my career off the ground as he allowed for me to display my talents for the country to see. It is thanks to him that I am able to make my living out of football and am able to fulfil my dreams”.

Madlala passed away last Friday after losing a long standing battle with cancer.

Home coming

Chiefs have been conducting Asiphephe pedestrian awareness campaigns around Durban since March but this was their first visit to Lamontville. It was also Khenyeza’s first trip back there since joining Chiefs in July. He enjoyed every minute of his visit on Tuesday saying “there are a lot of Chiefs fans in Lamontville and they always used to tell me to swop teams whenever I visited there as an Arrows player. On Tuesday they came out and gave me a reception that I was not expecting, I always had a good relationship with the people of Lamontville and I am just happy that I could renew that with them”.