We’re The Azanians, says Ma-Afrika’s Khathuchelo Ramovha

Ma-Afrika FC chairperson Khathuchelo Ramovha has corrected the misconception about the club’s nickname and said they were officially known as The Azanians.

He was speaking in an interview with Alex News following the club’s survival in its maiden season of the Johannesburg Men’s Regional League, known previously as the SAB League.

Ramovha was reacting to a recent article in this publication which named the team AmaVenda, [Week ending May 26, 2023] which is a casual reference to the team in Alex football circles because of its founding members. However, it does not represent what the team stands for and its philosophy around the nationality demographics of the country.

“We are in no way a team of AmaVenda, we embrace all nations of this country and freely mingle and interact and have also members of other nationalities within our board and support base, but yes, people often casually refer to us in that way.

“We don’t take offence in many instances as we appreciate that people don’t mean it… but we feel perturbed when it is then taken to another platform such as a newspaper because it then has a different connotation altogether,” Ramovha pointed out.

He added they did not discriminate against anyone because of their nationality. “We are all Africans in Africa and these so-called countries were carved by those who wanted to divide and rule us.”

Ramovha’s political background as a pan-Africanist says all about his relationships with other nationalities including beyond South Africa’s borders. “I am not about to lose sight of that vision and philosophy.”

The editor of Alex News and the writer of the article welcomed the concerns raised. He pointed out that certain casual remarks are made but regardless of how popular they become, would always remain remarks and not the official standpoint of that particular institution.

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