Moroka Swallows SC chairman Walter Mokoena has brought one of the club’s greatest legends, Andries ‘Chaka-Chaka’ Mpondo, on board to help bring the famous Dube Birds back to life.

Mpondo, who played nearly 400 matches for Swallows from the early 1980s until 1996, confirmed he is part of the new project. “Yes, I am part of the club, but the details have yet to be made official,” he told KickOff. “Walter Mokoena is the person reviving this great club. He invited me and Ace [Joel Mnini] to join. The direction is clear.”

The move comes after a difficult period for the 79-year-old Soweto club. In 2024, Swallows sold their Betway Premiership status to Marumo Gallants following years of financial problems and effectively stopped existing as a professional team. Fans were left disappointed, and many people in the streets began saying the legends of the club no longer had a team to support.

In October 2026, Mokoena registered the club as a new legal entity called Moroka Swallows Sports Club. The team made its return last Saturday in the Hollywoodbets SAFA Regional League in Johannesburg, losing 3-2 to Wits University. Former player Alex Bapela is the coach.

Mokoena is no stranger to building clubs from the bottom. He previously ran Walter Stars FC in Middelburg, a team that produced players such as Happy Jele and Mandla Masango. His plan is to start carefully at amateur level while building a proper structure. Football remains the main focus, but the club has already started netball and basketball teams, with running and rugby to follow later.

The club is also talking to the City of Johannesburg about getting permanent home grounds in Soweto, with Meadowlands and Dobsonville among the places they hope to use.

Mpondo said he is happy to see the club back. “People had begun making fun of us in the streets, saying we were legends of a club that no longer existed. I am very happy that Swallows is finally back. It is a positive development for the club to start again at amateur level, although there may be an opportunity to acquire a status in the professional ranks as time goes on.”

For many Swallows supporters, seeing a true icon like Mpondo involved gives hope that the famous Dube Birds can slowly rise again.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2113333371145261266