WeeklySA_AdminKENNETH MOKGOJOA:From scoring goals to saving souls for the Lord
By Masoja Cele
There were strikers, and there was “The Horse”. Christened by a scribe at the defunct Rand Daily Mail who imagined him to be galloping like a horse – he even took him to the Turfontein Race Course and took pictures of him on horseback – Kenneth Mokgojoa has left an everlasting memory in the minds of legions of yesteryear’s football fanatics.
It is indeed a truly special player who is able scoop the Sportsman of the Year Award when pitted with luminaries like Jomo Sono, Patson Banda etc.
This was in 1978 when the Kagiso born Mokgojoa won the judges nod to emerge the winner of the coveted award – with only three years as a professional soccer player.
Mokgojoa’s latent talents were discovered by his homeboy Meshack “Wonderboy” Mjanqeka, a superb midfield player himself, who convinced the young lass to join him at the east rand club called Benoni United in 1975.
Prior to joining United which was fondly known as “The Rabbits”, Mokgojoa says he only played football to appease himself.
“You will recall that during my time there wasn’t enough financial rewards in the game.
“Players then played for the love of the game. “Again it was about passion and the bragging rights,’’ reveals Mokgojoa. It is instructive that after joining “The Rabbits” Mokgojoa trained for three weeks without having game time.
A bit frustrated, however, Mjanqeka told him to persevere as his opportunity would come, says Mokgojoa. The speedy winger who galloped down the wing with the calmness of a race horse and the nostalgia of a true trail-blazer bloomed at the Rabbits after his exciting debut against the formidable Pretoria Bantu Callies.
‘’Yeah, I would say after my debut against Callies I never looked back. “My debut against ‘’The Romans’’ was key to my professional career. Stalwarts, like Mjanqeka, Richard ‘’Litre’’ Lata, Peter ‘’ Blue-Monday’’ Sejake told me to play my normal game.
“That’s when I proved to football circles what I was capable off. I delivered a five-star performance and scored a brace. We won the gruelling encounter 4- 1, with Aaron ‘’Shaka’’Nkosi also bagging a brace.
“I don’t think I will ever forget that team, not even in my dreams,” says Mokgojoa.
The Bantu Callies of the time wasn’t an easy side to play against. They boasted a talented group of players the likes of the legendary Mecro ‘’Masterpieces’’Moripe, Jan ‘’Malombo’’Lichaba, the late Patrick ‘’LTD’’Molala, Patrick ‘’Frelimo’’Dibetla to name a few. Though Mokgojoa relished his tenure at the ‘’The Rabbits ‘’ he had to move on after receiving a lucrative offer from a revered team from the USA in late 1978 after receiving a tempting offer from Washington Diplomats.
Tony Mostert who was an American popular soccer agent came into the country to recruit him and the late former Moroka Swallows goal-poacher Andries ‘’Six-Mabone’’ Maseko.
“The late Dr Mafu Dotwana who was one of Benoni United directors delivered the exciting news in my ears.
“There was no hesitation about the move and I gladly agreed on the offer,’’ he says. At Diplomats he played alongside the famous Netherlands legend Johan Cruyff and Jimmy Steel from Scotland before returning home in 1980 and joining Kaizer Chiefs.
One of his memorable games at Chiefs was the 5-5 monumental Mainstay Cup semifinal against Moroka Swallows at Orlando Stadium, where he scored a brace.
With age catching up Mokgojoa says he decided to hang his boots “while still at my best” and with no steady income his life turned for the worst. To make matters worse his health was beginning to fail and he had to be admitted to the Leratong hospital where he was in a coma for days.
It was soon after he was discharged that he met his Damascus and converted to a born-again Christian. After praying with a family friend he said he felt a better person and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He was ordained as a pastor at the Baptist Church in Orlando east after six years.
His favourite verse is Isaiah 43 verse 18 – 19, which reads “Forget the former things and do not dwell in the past….
Mokgojoa is not completely lost to football, however, as he is currently a football instructor at the Monash University branch in Ruimsig.
He is married with two children.
