Kaizer Motaung Jnr: Soweto derby defeat was embarrassing after irate Kaizer Chiefs fans march to Naturena

Kaizer Chiefs Sporting Director Kaizer Motaung Jnr had admitted his team’s defeat to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby was “an embarrassing display” and have since had “deep soul-searching conversations” with all the stakeholders.

Chiefs were humbled 3-0 by their great rivals at FNB Stadium, and have since also lost to Richards Bay over the past week to increase the pressure on co-coaches Cedrik Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef.

The Amakhosi have already been knocked out of the Carling Knockout, Nedbank Cup, and CAF Confederation Cup and currently sixth on the Betway Premiership table and in danger of missing out on the top eight again.

A small group of Kaizer fans marched to the club's base in Naturena on Saturday, protesting against the current run of results by the team, handing over a memorandum containing a list of grievances to the club management.

“I think there we have to fully take responsibility, Rob. I mean, one, you don't lose against your arch rivals. Two, you don't lose in that manner,” Motaung Jnr said on the Robert Marawa show on 94.7.

“That's a fact. We've had some very, very deep soul-searching conversations and sit-downs with the players, with the coaches, with ourselves, with the staff in general. We embarrassed ourselves on that day at our home in front of hundreds of thousands and also millions at home. That's a fact!

“And I think one of our club legends has put it correctly. We were on the wrong side of history, and that's what it was. I've never seen us that flat. I've never seen our players. I've never seen our approach in that way.

It was something that we understand exactly how the supporters feel. We let ourselves down. We let the country down. It was an embarrassing display.”

Motaung Jnr has been heavily criticised heavily for the appointment of Kaze and Ben Youssef after the departure of former head coach Nasreddine Nabi, and the former Chiefs striker had admitted his responsibility in the chaos that is currently unfolding at Naturena.

“It's a collective responsibility. We have to put our hands up. Me, personally, I put my hands up in the role that I've contributed in, because we all have to look at ourselves first before you put anything, because then I think we've had some very, very tough conversations around that one.

“And there's no words you can express. And I can't come in and talk about any apology about what we'll do. That game hurt a lot of people.”

Motaung Jnr was loath to divulge anything on the speculation linking former Cape Town City and Amazulu boss Benni McCarthy and former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach Pito Mosimane to a future role at Kaizer Chiefs.

“Chiefs is a big team. We want the best coaches. We want whether it's the biggest, the most experienced, the highest quality. That's exactly what we want. You know, that's the direction we see ourselves.

“You mentioned some top individuals who have achieved tremendous things in their career. But It's also going to be unfair of me to sit here and talk about coaches when we are sitting here. We have coaches within the team.

"We have our immediate mandate and responsibility to restore the pride and the hurt that's been happening to the nation and to the team. So I mean, I can sit here and talk about certain individuals. It's not professional.

"I don't think it's the right thing to do. I have a lot of respect for both of those gentlemen. They've achieved a lot through their playing days, achieving as coaches. And it's always an honor to be associated with people like that. 

“But I mean, to be very fully transparent and honest, it wouldn't be right for me to sit here and talk about them in that capacity.”

Kaizer Chiefs’ next match is a Betway Premiership clash at home to Durban City on Sunday, 15 March 2026.