Kaizer Chiefs legend Mike “Sporo” Mangena has broken his silence for the first time about his dramatic 2018 arrest, describing the ordeal as one of the most shocking moments of his life.
Mangena was arrested in November 2018 after police raided his farm in Hillside, Randfontein, where a drug-manufacturing laboratory was allegedly discovered.
At the time of his bail application, he confirmed that he owned the property but denied any knowledge of illegal activities taking place there.
A year later, the case against him and his three co-accused was struck off the roll in the Randfontein Magistrate’s Court.
Speaking to Robert Marawa on MSW, the Kaizer Chiefs legend recalled how the incident unfolded.
“When I turned 60, I got arrested for something I didn’t know,” he said.
Mangena explained that he first learned of the police presence from a neighbour.
“I woke up in the morning and my neighbour called me and said, ‘I see police outside your farm.’ I asked him to find out what was happening. I even thought maybe they had robbed the boys there and stolen livestock.”
Kaizer Chiefs legend recalls arrest
Mangena said he immediately drove to the farm, where a heavy police presence met him.
“When I arrived, I found so many cars and I asked what was happening. The cops asked if I was aware that there was a drug lab at the back and I said, ‘I don’t know.’”
Sporo maintained that he had leased the property to tenants and produced a lease agreement to support his claim.
“I told them I have a lease agreement. One of the officers asked if I could drive with them to my offices. I got the file with the lease agreement and gave it to him, and we drove back to the farm. They looked at the agreement and said, ‘There’s no case here,’” the Kaizer Chiefs legend added on MSW.
At the time, Mangena said he was heavily involved in the Nedbank Ke Yona Talent Search initiative and was seldom present at the farm.
“I am a landlord of the place but I was never there,” the ex-Amakhosi striker explained.
Despite this, he said he was instructed to sign a warning statement.
“They said when there’s a need to arrest or investigate, we will call you. Then came a senior officer who said, ‘What nonsense, arrest this man!’ I still had no problem, I agreed.”
Mangena spent five days in jail before being released on bail. The charges were later withdrawn.
“I remained strong like a bull, I inserted this seed into my kids,” said the Kaizer Chiefs legend.