Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha has described new Kaizer Chiefs signing Thabo Cele as ‘a person who’s really passionate about soccer’ dating back to their early playing days in the township.
Mbatha and Cele hail from the township of KwaMashu, 12 kilometres north of Durban, and the two childhood friends could battle it out in the middle of the park when the biggest fixture on the local calendar, the Soweto Derby, takes centre stage on Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Calabash.
Mbatha was full of praise for Cele who sealed a move to the Glamour Boys during the now-concluded January transfer window for the passion he has for football.
“I could say that me and Thabo grew up in the same environment, coz he’s from where I’m from KwaMashu,” Mbatha told the media.
“It’s just that it’s different areas I could say coz he’s from Area 3 and I’m from Area 4.
“I could say that it’s already divided [KwaMashu] coz I could see the status of people. It was already divided back then because people at home used to support the area from home Area 4 and Area 3 you see, so.
“But I believe that it’s a healthy challenge. It’s a healthy environment where we believe also that we can conquer his area and they also believe they can conquer his area.
“And I could say that I’m really happy for him. He’s one person that has been determined in the football industry.
“He’s a person who’s really passionate about soccer even back ekasi [township], he would create groups and say, ‘Let’s go play gents it’s off seasons’.
“He’s that person that’s really pushing.”
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The Pirates man added that they often talk outside of football and keep in contact on a regular basis.
“We talk. We normally talk when one person is not playing where we relating as footballers,” Mbatha continued.
“Even though we don’t talk everyday, but we do talk on WhatsApp.
“We do call each other, video call whenever one person is going through the most I would say.
“Yeah, so he’s the really the person that I’m close to that I talk to.”