He now associates himself with the words 'Once a Pirates, always a Pirate'. The 27-year-old may have grown up supporting Kaizer Chiefs, but that’s all in the past now that he is on the black and white side of Soweto.
Since joining the Buccaneers in January last year, Mlambo has not suffered defeat against Amakhosi, winning three out of three, and he'd no doubt want to get the better of his side's bitter rivals for a fourth consecutive time.
The giants of South African football lock horns at FNB Stadium on Saturday (15h30).
"To be honest I never liked going to the stadium when the Soweto Derby was taking place because of the occasion, but you know the atmosphere is always crazy. Even for people who did not go to the stadium, you can feel the sense of it. It’s an important game, it makes the whole world to stand still."
He grew up supporting Amakhosi, but Mlambo admired players from both sides when during his childhood.
“There has been great players in both teams. You look at the likes of Thabo Mngomeni, the late ‘Scara’ Ngobese, the late Gift Leremi and Thabo Mooki. There’s quite a number of players I grew up supporting,” he noted.
Born in Soweto, Mlambo says there are family members who supported Chiefs in the past but are now behind the Buccaneers because he plays for them.
“Being born and raised in Soweto and having to play in a game of this magnitude is a blessing and it comes with a lot of pressure. There are family members, when I grew up, that supported Kaizer Chiefs and some supported Orlando Pirates," 'Ten-Ten' added.
“But at the end of the present moment, I fully believe everyone is behind Orlando Pirates because there’s a family member playing there. It’s interesting to be part of it.
“It's a game taking place in Soweto, so it means a lot and you want to be fully focused on it.”