Today marks 11 years since the South African football fraternity lost a legend in Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe. Ace racked up a total of 542 appearances for the Glamour Boys, and is considered as one of the greatest players to have graced our pitches.
Today in Supporters Club, we pay tribute to Ace as he continues to live in the hearts of the Amakhosi faithful. Here's a snippet from the Ace and Banks column, when Ntsoelengoe's attempt to speaking IsiZulu landed him in hot water.
Steve Maseko: So Ace stops the car next to a big Zulu guy standing by the side of the road and decides to ask him for directions. Ace leans out of the car window and asks this big guy in Zulu, "Ukuphi uBusi wami?"
Banks (Setlhodi): Ha, ha.
Ace: Hey, man, it wasn't funny at the time.
Steve: Ja, Ace was meaning to say in Zulu, "Kukuphi kwaBusi?" ("Where is Busi's place?"). But because Ace's Zulu was so bad, he landed up saying, "Where's my Busi?". Unfortunately for Ace, the name of the Zulu guy's wife was Busi!
Peter (du Toit): No way... oh no!
Steve: Ja, so the big Zulu shouted, "What! What do you want with my wife?"
Peter: And?
Steve: Ace looked confused and repeated innocently in Zulu, "Ukuphi uBusiwami?" He still thought he was asking for directions to Busi's place, where the party was being held.
Banks: Man, then the Zulu guy just exploded.
Ace: Hell, man, he stuck that big kierie in my face and shouted, "Hey, man, you want my wife? Well, now you are going to die! I'll kill all of you now. Now you die for nothing."
Banks: Man, both Ace and I wanted to disappear into our seats. This guy was furious!
Peter: So what happened?
Steve: I had to save them. I said to the guy in Zulu, "No, man, this is Ace and Banks of Kaizer Chiefs. I'm Steve Maseko, also of Kaizer Chiefs. They don't speak Zulu, I'm teaching them. This is a misunderstanding. We're on our way to a party at Busi's place. They are not talking about your wife and they are sorry for upsetting you."
Peter: And how did the big Zulu guy react when he realised who you guys were and that it was all a language misunderstanding?
Ace: He said, "Ace and Madala Banks, sorry for scaring you." Then he looked at Steve and said, "Hey, Steve, you must teach these guys faster and better before all three of you get into big trouble one day!"
What are your fondest memories of Ace?
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