Mamelodi Sundowns legend Hlompho Kekana says he’s made Bongani Zungu aware of the importance the number eight shirt holds to him and urged him to create his own legacy with it.
Kekana was honoured at Loftus Versveld on Sunday afternoon during Sundowns’ DStv Premiership encounter against AmaZulu for his decade of service to the club which represented a glittering era.
The 37-year-old who announced his retirement from professional football recently won eight league titles over his career, two of which was achieved at Sundowns, two Nedbank Cup titles, the CAF Champions League and Super Cup.
Regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever players and captains, Kekana managed to make the shirt number previously worn by the likes of Teko Modise, Lerato Chabangu and Daniel Mudau, his own. And he’s challenged Zungu to do the same as he reflected on how symbolic it’s become to him.
“I had a chat with him and I told him you better look after that jersey because it’s important to me as a person because I had so many significant… so many things that touched me with that number,” Kekana said.
“I have eight league titles, which I have tattooed on my leg, I was wearing jersey number eight and my size eight shoe is what was used to score those crazy goals. So you can understand how important the number was to me.
“But yeah he had to use the number, he has to create his own legacy here at this club, I got it from whoever was wearing it and I’m sure he has beautiful memories with it.
“I have mine and I’ve got a villager who’s come from my same village, Alex Bapela who always told me that the level I’ve put that jersey, is quite crazy because nobody ever thought would reach that level. So I’m honoured to hear such words coming from him.
“For [Zungu] I just want to wish him well, it’s not for me to do that but it’s just a number for me.”
