Chippa United attacker Luvuyo Memela has confessed to inventing an ‘unveiling’ story to deceive Chippa Mpengesi while trying to break into professional football.
This was when Chippa United were competing in the NFD [now Motsepe Foundation Championship]. Professor Ngubane was spearheading the side.
He excluded Memela from his plans for the season and the left-footer had to be demoted to the feeder team of Chippa which was playing in the Vodacom League [now ABC Motsepe League].
However, Mpengesi still wanted the former Ajax Cape Town youth player to be part of the club.
After impressing in the third-tier, Memela had high hopes of earning Ngubane’s admiration. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Seeing his former Ajax Cape Town teammates like Thulani Hlatshwayo having made it to the biggest stage, he was craving to get to the next level.
The thought of joining Dynamos, even though they played in the second division, was tempting. But Chippa still had his clearance – how could he get around that?
ASKING FOR SOME TIME OFF TO ATTEND FALSE UNVEILING AT HOME
He asked for a leave, making up a story about an unveiling that would take place at home. Mpengesi allowed him some time off.
After a week of training with Dynamos, they wanted to sign him, however, they couldn’t believe that he belonged to Chippa. Without him knowing, they went on to verify with Mpengesi who then found out that the “unveiling” story was a way to escape for Memela.
The pity was that Dynamos couldn’t pay the amount Chippa wanted to release him.
More than a decade down the line, Memela is now donning the Chilli Boys colours again.
MEMELA – IT WASN’T NICE WHEN CHAIRMAN FOUND OUT
“Vodacom felt like the same thing as being at eKasi, it was though I don’t want to lie,” said Memela in an interview with FARPost.
“That’s when I started going to Dynamos for trials [without Chippa knowing]. They wanted me but they couldn’t believe that I was a Chippa United player.
“I said let me talk to the chairman so that he understands that I should be playing at a high level. At that time Dynamos was still at NFD, so I spent two weeks training with them.
“They went behind my back calling the chairman, and it wasn’t nice for the chairman as well.
“I had lied and said I was going home, I think I said it was unveiling, he ended up releasing me. And I had a week to be with Dynamos.
“When they called him, he said, ‘That’s our player, he’s in Eastern Cape in the family’s unveiling’ and they said, ‘No, this player is here’.
“And Chippa was like, ‘Oh you want him?’
“I remember it was like R200 000 and at that time it was a lot of money for Dynamos. They were struggling and I think they got relegated that season.
‘I WANTED TO PROVE MANY WRONG’
“So, it was hectic and the only thing that made me go on was praying and trying to prove something to a lot of people that thought I wouldn’t make it.
“Because when I came from Ajax, there were many stories in Kasi. And when I heard those things I was like, just for those voices, I’m not going to quit.
“I remember praying almost five times a day and seeing the guys I was playing with at Ajax [youth team] playing professionally. It was difficult not because of jealousy but I was so happy seeing people I played with doing well.
“It also made me think I can do it, it’s possible, I just needed a chance.”
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