Turbulence was felt outside Naturena, where large crowds of Kaizer Chiefs supporters had gathered to demonstrate their disgruntlement with the club’s recent form.
Why are Kaizer Chiefs supporters protesting?
With three games left to play in this Premier Soccer League season, Amakhosi are likely to finish outside of the coveted Top Eight. This means that in the next season, Chiefs will most likely miss out on local tournaments.
This reality, matched with the club’s poor run of results, sparked the intense protests that were witnessed on Friday.
The supporters handed over a memorandum of concerns to the club’s chairman Kaizer Motaung which detailed the general sentiment shared by millions of Amakhosi fans who haven’t celebrated silverware since 2015.
“As Kaizer Chiefs supporters, we have been watching our team in a downward spiral season after season with our trophy cabinet being filled up with nothing but empty promises,” the scathing memorandum read.
The document listed a number of demands from the club’s supporters which include:
- Restoring the club’s playing philosophy and status as a big club:
- Building a competitive squad by recruiting quality players
- Recruiting coaches that fit the playing philosophy
- A complete squad overhaul
- A developmental plan to conquer African football
- More investment in scouting and academy development
- Building the women’s team
- More communication from the club’s executive through the revival of the Chairman’s Column on the club website
- The appointment of a General Manager
- Finalising the issue of the club membership cards
The football club has been given 15 working days to issue a formal response to the above-listed demands. The full memorandum of concerns can be read below:
Kaizer Chiefs Supporters Memorandum #KaizerChiefsProtest #KaizerChiefsPeacefulProtest pic.twitter.com/FvyVzNuWEA
— Karabo (@KaraboRithuri_) May 14, 2021
Watch: Protests break out at Naturena
At the time this article was published, things had cooled down outside Naturena. Here are some clips of the protests we sourced from social media:
Brother is fuming #KaizerChiefsProtest pic.twitter.com/Ftu4cjEIo1
— Naledzani Paulo (@Nale34843837) May 14, 2021
One of the organizers of the #KaizerChiefsSupportersProtest @Master_P_61703 reading out the memorandum they handed to the club management at the @KaizerChiefs Village in Naturena this morning. @SPORTATSABC @iDiskiTimes #KaizerChiefsProtest #KaizerChiefsMarch pic.twitter.com/h0QplBHzHP
— Velile Mnyandu (@Velile_Mnyandu) May 14, 2021
@KaizerChiefs board member & Marketing Director Jessica Motaung accepting the memorandum from the fans this morning at the club’s base in Naturena. @SPORTATSABC @iDiskiTimes #KaizerChiefsProtest #KaizerChiefsMarch pic.twitter.com/KRBx1Kx147
— Velile Mnyandu (@Velile_Mnyandu) May 14, 2021
#KaizerChiefsProtest #KaizerChiefsMarch #KaizerChiefsPeacefulProtest RT @psixaba: It's happening. @KaizerChiefs supporters have gathered at Tinties In Naturena as they are set to march to the clubs headquarters to deliver a Memorandum. @Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/ov8Lm2U0PU
— (@JayNtuli_SA) May 14, 2021
The fanbase after the memorandum was successfully delivered ✌ #KaizerChiefsProtest pic.twitter.com/efyty53efK
— Stop eating custard (@themba_le) May 14, 2021