In this edition of Story Behind The Nickname, former Orlando Pirates and Free State Stars striker Jimmy Kauleza explains to KickOff his strange Nickname, "Jimmy Come To Jozi."
A South African phrase that is used to describe a villager or rural person who is new to Johannesburg and lacks an understanding of the city's life.
The phrase is derived from a 1949 film titled "Jim Come To Joburg."
Jimmy Come To Jozi, what a strange nickname for a footballer!
"Me too I also don't know why I was given the name. I remember arriving at Orlando Pirates after our BP Top8 game, where Pirates played Moroka Swallows at Rand Stadium.
"I saw in the newspapers sendibizwa "Jimmy Comes To Jozi", but my nickname from Free State Stars bendingu "Chomi ya Bana."
What was your reaction to it?
"I was fine with it [laughs] because I was used to being given names by the media, because even my nickname from Free State Stars, "Chomi Ya Bana," was given to me by a Soccer Laduma journalist."
So, did you like "Jimmy Come To Jozi as a nickname?
"I had no problem as nicknames besinikwa zi fans or journalists."
What was your Pirates teammates' reaction after finding out you now had a new name?
"Joseph "Dukuduku" Makhanya when I arrived for gym that very same day, in the dressing room wandibamba ngesandla e hleka wathi "Aah Gusheshe! Did you see your new nickname?" My response was, "Ewe, I did see it", but we were talking in Sesotho [laughs].
"I tried to explain to him that 'Jimmy Comes to Jozi' was strange to me because it wasn't my first time being in Jozi. I had stayed in Soweto for a week trialing at Moroka Swallows before joining Free State Stars.
"First time ndifika e Joburg ndafikela kwi office ze Swallows e Ellof Street next to Ghandi Square then the Swallows driver took me to Swallows training grounds. In Soweto I was staying at Bra Jeff's new house, the former Moroka Swallows driver."
But did you find time to watch the movie "Jimmy Come To Joburg?"
"[Laughs] Yes ndayi bona le movie ka Jimmy comes to Joburg. [Laughs] But I was fine with it because bandifanisa with someone who was new to Joburg ongayazi niks."
Photo Credit : - Tertius Pickard \ Gallo Images