With two fierce Soweto derbies looming, former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs striker Lehlohonolo Majoro has warned both clubs of the intensity and emotion of these back-to-back clashes.
The Buccaneers and Amakhosi are set to meet twice in just 10 days — first in a league encounter that could decide Chiefs’ Top 8 hopes and Pirates’ title ambitions, and again in the Nedbank Cup final where silverware and bragging rights will be on the line.
For Majoro, who donned both jerseys during his playing days, these are the games that define players’ careers and shift the trajectory of a club’s season.
“Knowing that you’re going to play a derby, automatically, every player wants to avail themselves, everyone wants to play that game,” he said.
“And perhaps that’s a plus for a team like Pirates more especially after what happened with the CAF Champions League.”
Pirates come into the first fixture still smarting from their CAF Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Pyramids.
After drawing 0-0 in Soweto, they twice took the lead in Cairo but were eventually undone in a thriller that ended their hopes of continental glory.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, especially with Mamelodi Sundowns going on to book their place in the final.
The defeat meant South African football fans were denied a historic all-local final. But Majoro believes that emotional setbacks could fuel Pirates’ desire in the upcoming clashes.
“The derby isn’t played in one day, it starts on the week of the game,” he explained. “You’ll see players arriving early to training, injured players wanting to come back because this is the kind of game that makes names in South African football.”
With Pirates still chasing Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premiership, dropping points is not an option.
Chiefs, on the other hand, have endured an erratic season and currently find themselves outside the Top 8 — making every remaining fixture critical.
“I’m anticipating two good games because both of them will be played like cup finals,” Majoro added. “Pirates need to keep up with Sundowns so they can’t drop points while Chiefs need to be in the top eight so they’ll fight tooth and nail.”
The first derby this Saturday could have a knock-on effect ahead of the Nedbank Cup final.
A win for either side would give them a mental edge before the season-defining showdown in Durban on May 10. And as Majoro warns, when it comes to the Soweto derby, forget the form book. These games are driven by legacy, tension, and the pressure to rise above the noise.
For Pirates, redemption. For Chiefs, survival. For both, the opportunity to give their fans a reason to believe again.
