'Pay or face curse' - Widow threatens Chiefs
THE wife of a long-serving Kaizer Chiefs kit manager has dared the Premier Soccer League giants to pay her late hubby's pension owed to her or else she will unleash bad luck on the team - in the form of two tortoises kept at her Naturena home.
Thandi, widow of the late Chiefs kit manager Jackson Mokoena, accuses the club of being off-side for failing to pay her and her children benefits amounting to thousands of rands owed to them following his death last year.
And in a startling disclosure, Thandi claims her husband left behind two tortoises that "belong to the club" which were used as juju during pre-match rituals to garner good luck for the team.
"I'll use them to cast a bad spell on the team," she warns.
Kaizer Chiefs denies all the allegations made against the club, maintaining they have made the pension payout.
Thandi says Mokoena was not only a club employee but also Motaung's nephew.
The club didn't want to discuss this, but a source close to the club confirms Motaung is indeed the deceased's uncle.
Thandi says when her husband died in December last year after serving Chiefs for 28 years, club supremo Kaizer Motaung promised "us heaven and earth" during his eulogy at the funeral.
Mokoena's funeral was also attended by, among others, Motaung's wife Juleka, their children Kaizer Jnr, Kemiso and Jessica, as well as players.
Among those promises, according to the bitter widow, were a commitment by the club that they'd take care of Mokoena's three children's education fees. Mokoena's children are aged 14, 12 and five.
But now, claims Thandi, the club is applying different tactics and the lack of assistance as promised has led to one of her children dropping out of school.
"What hurts me the most is that his own relatives, his own uncle, has turned his back on us," she says.
Unemployed Mokoena says the club has been sending her from pillar to post with regards to her husband's pension money.
"My husband lived and died for Chiefs but today when they see me they run as if they are seeing a ghost. Nobody has any time for me," she says with a heavy heart during a chat at her home, a few blocks away from the glamour club's head offices in the south of Joburg
"My heart is so sore, I am so bitter. My husband never wanted us to starve. He always wanted the best for me and the children but look at us today," she says with a grimace.
She says her man always put the team before her and the kids. She says in the 16 years she was married to him "he spent less than a thousand days with me. I sacrificed a lot for this club".
"Today it is sad for us to see the team buying players for millions yet they fail to pay me for my husband's services."
The club honoured the late Mokoena with a Chairman's Special Award.
.
Chief's response
The club would like to express its disappointment at the allegations levelled by Mrs Mokoena.
In response, the club would like to acknowledge the fact that Mr Jackson Mokoena was employed by Kaizer Chiefs for the years as mentioned in your questionnaire and legally so.
As for the benefits due to the family after the death of Mr Mokoena, the Club obliged according to the policies and regulations that govern pension schemes, including cover for the education needs of his children for a specified time.
We are also surprised that she alleges that she has been ignored by the club, whereas she knows very well she is welcome at the village (Chiefs head office) and in fact she has been given assistance on numerous occasions.
.
On the tortoise
With regard to other allegations, the club does not advocate animal cruelty.
The tortoise allegation, we are not involved in that.
.
These animals keep Chiefs afloat - Widow
WHILE it is generally known and accepted that African football and the use of traditional medicine go together like tongue and saliva, not many individuals, clubs or organisations have publicly admitted to the practice.
The practice remains shrouded in mystery while the trade is worth several thousands, if not millions.
In his book Has Anybody Got a Whistle: A Football Reporter In Africa, author Peter Auf der Heyde made a credible attempt to lift the lid on this centuries old practice. The names of these lucky charms also differ from country to country, with juju being the common one in west Africa.
Locally, there are dozens of code names for muthi, ranging from sgalagala to primus stove and ngoma or sfutho.
Now Thandi Mokoena, widow of late Kaizer Chiefs kitman Jackson (53), says the club's fortunes on the field are dependent on two tortoises her husband left behind. Sunday World saw the two creatures during a lengthy interview with Mokoena's widow at her home in Naturena. She says her husband of 16 years looked after the animals she alleges were used as tools of the trade to make Amakhosi sail smoothly through turbulent seas.
Big Jack, as Mokoena was affectionately known, died of liver cancer in December last year and was cremated three days later. His ashes were scattered in a section of the garden at a spot he cherished and had named "Rock of Ages".
"My husband spent a lot of time here (Rock of Ages). I do not know what the secret was but he asked me to take care of the tortoises when he dies. He said they belonged to Chiefs," says the widow.
Mokoena says at her hubby's funeral, speaker after speaker hailed him, calling him "the real submarine" of the team.
Thandi, in compliance with her husband's wishes, continues to find money to buy rose petals to feed the tortoises.
Comments
Papage
We dont care, it is Family Business, about the Muti, All African people use Muti and will never accept it, we know. So please sort your Family problems together, not with us. Don't hate each other to such level, it is not good for any Family member. You Mother go find employment so that you can look after yourself and kids. Ke eng ka Basadi ba go tswafa heh?Ruralgirl
Woman, get a life!!!!!! So you are able to find money to buy rose petals to feed the tortoise, but fail to pay school fees for your child who even dropped out of school! Come on now!kukuyalethosa1
hahahaha, what a shame to the Motaungs and the Zebra family business in particular. Now we know what has kept the Zebra afloat. The many cups they claim to have won over decades are actually owed to animal cruelty and primitive practices which belong in the dark ages. Muti is used by stupid people who can't compete at equal terms. It's like doping or taking performance drugs to win. This is a very disgusting practice. Why are the loud-mouth Zebras quite now? Please comment, bloody witches/wizards.vusimandevu
You can say what ever u want, U should have advice her to call SPCA for rescue of the animals since is deficult to feed them.For unpaid money for her hubby she must go to court .finish and klaaaaaar.But the bottom line 'Amakhosi for the league this weren't (tortoises or no tortoises)Vic-by-force
If those creatures belonged to chiefs, how then does this woman know how to bewitch chiefs with them. You cannot threaten to bewitch someone with his own tools. She is just not smart. She did not plan her smear campaign properly. These creatures belong to her and her mother. She claims to have been using her money to buy roses for the animals. Its unbelievable, with her kind of attitude she would have long ago demanded rent from chiefs for those things.kukuyalethosa1
@Vic-by-forceyou reason like premature baby. How do you know that she can't witch Chiefs with their own tools, or have you tried doing such?
mmalobopo
animal cruelity used to settle disputes in a family business...gongwe boby used the widow's pension money as legal fare for his corruption case, so cool down o tla go duela a sena go tswa discharge, remember this is a family businesszazezizozuzoooooooooooooooooo
If tortoises belong to Kaizer Chiefs, why is Chiefs not buying the rose petals? Why are the roses not planted on "Rock of Ages", then you don't have to buy them? If Chiefs is at fault don't go to newspapers, they won't solve your financial problems, if there is a case go to court, finish 'n klaar!TheParagon
i know is wrong to say this,provided i dont know how the husband died, but i think this woman has an influence on his death.she must have known about the benefits she'll get when her husband dies. because you can her from her words that is never about her husband nor his death,but rather whats in for her. Bloody agent!
StephinahS
Hey Jah neh, some women are discrediting us, Madam Mokoena smell the coffee woman,rather charge them for consultaion because if really those tortoise ke ngoma ya Makhosi,@ some point they will come back for consultation or call SPCA o tswe dilong o kgone go ipatlela mosebetsi my dear...veder mara bathong the old man ga a na le ngwaga a shwele mara ngwana o setse a dropile??? Is it poor planning or what?
Read all 10 comments