Chiefs have come through a rough spell of late, losing twice to Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates while getting knocked out of their second cup competition this season in the process.
The club, coach and players have taken plenty of flak from pundits and supporters in recent days, while captain Itumeleng Khune also publicly laid into his teammates for their poor display.
However, Maluleka has now called for calm ahead of their continental challenge, which kicks off against Zanzibarian outfit Zimamoto in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday evening.
“We have to stick together. We have another match on Wednesday and that’s what we need to focus on,” Maluleka told his club’s website.
Amakhosi are expected to have it relatively easy against the islanders, who are making just their second appearance in the competition after dropping out at the first hurdle earlier this year.
With the club having previously been criticised for their lack of interest in the continental competitions, ‘Mido’ has outlined their intentions ahead of tomorrow’s match.
“All games are important, because that’s the culture of our club. We want to do well in Africa. It will be a step up for us,” he added.
“It’s important for the club to succeed in Africa. Kaizer Chiefs are one of the biggest clubs in Africa and that comes with responsibilities.”
On the decision to have the game moved from their traditional home of FNB Stadium, the 29-year-old is looking forward to putting out a good display for their Port Elizabeth-based followers.
“We haven’t played in PE for a while. We are looking forward to playing in front of our supporters there, who always give us good support. They usually come in numbers and I hope that it will be the same on Wednesday,” Maluleka concluded.