Mphahlele, Makhaula reveal AmaZulu’s royal obligation ahead of Chiefs game

Some AmaZulu players believe they have a royal obligation to beat Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Sunday’s MTN semifinal.

Defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele and midfielder Makhehlene Makhaula said they want to win the second-leg game in honour of newly crowned King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

“The only way to honour him is by winning on Sunday. The rest can follow. If he comes to support us, it would be great. He promised to come when we visited him,” Mphahlele told the media.

Makhaula also emphasized the importance of honouring the King by winning the MTN8.

“I am sure the president will be happy if we can do that to honour our King and give him the trophy as our way of welcoming him to the throne,” he said.

However, AmaZulu coach Romain Folz did not dwell much on the issue of the King and how he might motivate the squad.

“I am not gonna say everything on what we do or use to motivate the players, but I’m aware of what is happening. Yes, I might use it in some way,” he said.

It is not surprising that AmaZulu have the king in their minds, as the royal family follows the club closely.

The late king Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu even once declared Usuthu as the team of the Kingdom.

The need to win silverware in honour of the King also follows recent events surrounding the royal family in KwaZulu Natal.

Usuthu’s big fan King kaBhekuzulu died last year, and King Misuzulu kaZwelithini was installed as the heir to the throne.

After King Misuzulu’s coronation, AmaZulu visited him at his Opongolo palace to seek his blessings ahead of the MTN8 clash.

It is understood that during the visit, the King promised to grace one of Usuthu’s games; hence, the expectation that he might witness Sunday’s encounter.