Former midfielder David Mathebula has recalled his famous combination with Gert Schalkwyk at Kaizer Chiefs. The player, known as ‘DVD’, says the chemistry was not built on friendship but purely on football intelligence and instinct.
Mathebula and Schalkwyk’s connection remains one of the most unforgettable at Naturena under former head coach Ernst Middendorp. While they both had non-identical styles, they complemented each other.
Mathebula, who moved from Dynamos in Giyani to Chiefs, explained that his understanding with Schalkwyk was born out of a natural ability to read each other’s moves—a type of rapport he believes is rare in today’s football.
Mathebula was noted for creating opportunities from wider areas, while Schalkwyk was most dangerous drifting inside to find pockets of space to score.
Often introduced from the bench, they earned the nickname “Super Subs” after repeatedly making an impact late in games. They played a pivotal role in Chiefs’ glittering spell between 2005 and 2008, a period that included PSL titles, the SAA Supa 8, the Absa Cup, and the 2008 MTN 8 title.
NATURENA’S FAMOUS ‘SUPER SUBS’: DAVID MATHEBULA REFLECTS ON HIS ICONIC COMBINATION WITH GERT SCHALKWYK
“Funny enough, we were not friends off the field,” Mathebula said on the Izinja Ze Game podcast. “It is the football thing. Schalkwyk being able to read me, and me vice versa, understanding how he plays the game.
“Gert was top. He could make good runs, he could finish, and he could take care of the ball far better than other players. He was a top, top talent. Gert was coming from Wits University, and he was even scoring there. He came to Chiefs and kept doing the same thing.
“We played together under coach [Ernst] Middendorp. We were coming together as subs because we were young. But most of the time when we came on, people had expectations, and we were able to deliver. That is why people are still talking about that combination to this day.
“It is difficult to get combinations. When you watch PSL football right now, it is difficult for coaches to connect players.”
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