With the iconic Orlando Stadium as his backdrop and a crisp Wednesday breeze in the air, Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza stepped forward - not just to mark a new partnership, but to reflect on a legacy built over generations.
The occasion was the unveiling of a multimillion-rand partnership with beer brand Amstel. But for Dr Khoza, it was more than a business deal - it was a moment to honour the club’s roots and inspire its future.
Explaining his recent absence from the public eye, Khoza credited the club’s younger leadership.
“I was not supposed to speak today because it’s not my day. But I want to congratulate Mpumi and Nkosana Khoza. They have relieved me of the responsibility of doing the behind-the-scenes,” he said.
He praised Amstel’s values, aligning them with Pirates’ long-standing culture of loyalty.
“Amstel, I can tell you this club is strong on loyalty. If you look at our sponsorships (adidas, Vodacom), some are going past 30 years now. It’s not just brands, it’s iconic monuments,” Dr Khoza said.
Then, with a smile, he added: “I have always dreamt to be invited to the Champions League and I think now because of Amstel or Heineken, I am invited to the Champions League!”
TOWNSHIP ORIGINS
Emotion welled up as he spoke about the club’s origins.
“I stand here because I am feeling emotional. I am standing on the cradle of success and history. This club is proud that when the township was born in 1932, in 1937 Pirates was formed. There were no hobbies or recreational activities except football.”
Khoza emphasised the significance of the Amstel partnership, tying it to the sacrifices made by generations of players and supporters.
“When we said yes to Amstel, we understand the history and the sacrifices and contributions made by so many people. Up to today, you can talk about so many stars. There is no team that has produced King Kaizer Matatazela, Scara Son, Kaizer Motaung, Chipa Chipa Moloi, Jomo Sono,” he said.
Turning to the current generation, he urged them to rise to the occasion: “Make sure you make your mark to be in that stable.”
He spoke passionately about the club’s enduring identity:
“That is why our brand is so strong because without history, tradition and culture, you can’t be a brand. That is why this brand stood the test of time. That is why it’s important for us to share a platform with a team born in 1870 because they are also strong on legacy and tradition. Pirates is a team that is strong on affiliation. That is why we say ‘Once and Always’ because once you come in you don’t come out.”
BRAND STRENGTH
Khoza also addressed a recent study ranking Pirates second to the Springboks in brand strength.
“How do you compare a club to the national team? That shows the power of this brand – across colour lines, across traditions, across the whole continent,” he said.
He then revisited the club’s historic Caf Champions League triumph in 1994-95. After a 2-2 draw at home, Pirates stunned ASEC Mimosas with a 1-0 win away in Abidjan.
“When we got to the airport (Abidjan), we were kept in the sun for two hours and when we wanted to know why, we were told they wanted to clear immigration. The temperature was 42 degrees, that was torture.”
“When we got the hotel, it was surrounded by trees and there were bats making noise all the time. I allowed the players to remain in the bus and took them back to another hotel – a five-star hotel because we were staying in a two-star hotel. I told my players you are not coming out of the bus because it was going to a nightclub the whole night at that hotel.”
He also shared a powerful story about striker Jerry Skhosana, who had gone missing from training in the lead-up to the final.
“Jerry Skhosana was not coming to training because supporters wanted him out of football,” Khoza said. “He stayed two weeks without attending training and we begged him to come back. He scored the only goal of the match, a goal that won us the star against all odds.”
Since that historic triumph, the Buccaneers have twice come close to reclaiming continental glory - falling to Al Ahly in the 2012-13 final and again in the 2024-25 semifinals against Pyramids FC.
But for Dr Khoza, the journey is far from over. The legacy continues. And the dream lives on.