Former Chiefs captain speaks on challenges facing Kaizer Motaung Jr

Former Kaizer Chiefs captain Tefu Mashamaite has offered a candid assessment of the club’s fall from grace, questioning whether the leadership transition—specifically the appointment of Kaizer Motaung Jr as Sporting Director—has kept pace with a rapidly evolving South African football landscape.

Since Motaung Jr hung up his boots in 2014 and returned to the club’s executive offices in July 2021, the Soweto giants have navigated one of the most turbulent eras in their storied history. While Nasreddine Nabi finally broke a decade-long trophy drought with last season’s Nedbank Cup, the club currently faces the grim prospect of missing out on the top eight for a third successive year.

The Shifting Landscape in SA Football

Mashamaite, who led Chiefs to their last league title in 2015, believes his former teammate inherited a role just as Mamelodi Sundowns were fundamentally changing the rules of the game.

“We have to look at a couple of factors. You are looking at Chiefs from the vantage point of when the transition started. Bra K [Kaizer Motaung Snr] stepped back from the day-to-day running of the team,” Mashamaite told Soccerbeat.

“Now you’ve got Kaizer; he is still young and transitioning into this role. But the environment has changed entirely. Sundowns took the situation to a different level with their investments. It’s no longer enough to win the league; you have to dominate on the continent. Pirates have also started levelling up.”

Missed Marks in the Market By Chiefs Under Kazier Jr

While Motaung Jr has faced heavy criticism for transfer blunders and coaching appointments that seemed at odds with the “Chiefs Way,” Mashamaite suggests the failure is more systemic. While he praises the club’s youth development—noting their dominance in the Gauteng Development League (GDL)—he argues the senior team has failed to adapt to the continental shift.

“You ask yourself, what did Chiefs do in terms of going into the market and getting proper quality or ensuring the right structures are in place?” the former Bafana Bafana defender questioned.

“The transition, plus the change in scope with South African teams venturing into the continent—Chiefs have just missed the mark there. They need to readjust and remember that we are considered one of the top teams in Africa. We have to level up to that.”

The contrast between the current era and the days of Bobby Motaung’s peak influence is stark. During Bobby’s tenure as Football Manager, with the Chairman still hands-on, the club enjoyed consistent success. Today, the “new guard” under Motaung Jr is being asked to bridge a gap that Mashamaite suggests might be more about investment and continental ambition than just local rivalry.

As Amakhosi fans grow increasingly restless, Mashamaite’s words serve as a reminder: history alone won’t close the gap between Naturena and Chloorkop.