Blind CAF Champions League winner pours his heart out as without Orlando Pirates he would 'be uneducated & asking for donations on street corners' and reveals desire 'to watch Relebohile Mofokeng'

Despite retiring many years ago and later going blind, Bernard ‘Shooz’ Lushozi has stated his love for Orlando Pirates is still intact.  

The 1995 CAF Champions League winner has said he is always following the news about his former team, and he is happy that they are doing well.

Lushozi said Pirates are improving, but his disappointment is their failure to proceed further in the CAF Champions League. The Buccaneers' journey in the continental competition ended at the second preliminary round after elimination by Saint-Eloi Lupopo. 

"For results, I listen to the news, and the people I work with always give me feedback," Lushozi told KickOff.

"I also still interact with my friends at Pirates. Some of them work for the Zodwa Khoza Foundation. And by listening to the radio, I can tell that Pirates is now doing fairly well. On Saturday, I heard they won against Durban City.

“The club is improving in every aspect. We are only disappointed for not being able to make it into the CAF Champions League group stage."

The trained teacher has said Pirates have helped him navigate life since he lost sight.

"I still love Pirates very much. Without Pirates, I would be an uneducated, blind man today and not working. I'd be asking for donations on street corners as other blind people do," he said.

“Pirates have impacted my life in a great way. They encouraged me to continue with school during my playing days. I wish they could win me the Carling Knockout final.

"I am still blind, and now in both eyes, but what has happened is I have returned to work, under the auspices of reasonable accommodation," he explained.

"I'm still a school principal, a blind school principal for a school for people with disabilities, since I'm also disabled. My blindness is helping me understand their conditions." 

The 59-year-old has said one of the Bucs players that impresses him is Relebohile Mofokeng.

Despite his age, President Yama 2000 is one of the standout players for the Soweto giants. Lushozi has expressed the desire to watch the 20-year-old in action, but that is not possible because of his condition.

"I would have loved to watch Relebohile Mofokeng and the team and not only hear about them on the radio, but unfortunately, my situation doesn't allow me," he added.

Mofokeng's development has been steady, and it is for this reason that he has established himself as one of the regular players for Bafana Bafana.

The forward will be heading to Morocco for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals after he was named in Hugo Broos' 25-man squad.

The national team head coach has revealed why the youngster impresses him. 

“About Relebohile, I like him as a player. He's a very good player; he's a very talented player," Broos said as he defended the selection of Mofokeng.

"Had a few problems now in the past week with an injury, so I was very happy to see him play again with Pirates, and that’s why I didn’t doubt one second to take him with the selection.”

He is among the nine players from Bucs who will help South Africa chase a second AFCON glory.

Sipho Chaine, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Sipho Mbule, and Evidence Makgopa are the other players in the AFCON-bound squad.

The Pirates-dominated squad will begin their AFCON campaign with a game against COSAFA rivals Angola on December 22 before facing Egypt four days later. The 1996 AFCON champions will conclude Group B's assignments with a match against Zimbabwe on December 29.