Smiso Msomi
AmaZulu head coach Pablo Franco Martin is beaming with pride after midfielder Mlondi Mbanjwa made the final 23-man national team squad for the coming international break.
Bafana Bafana will jet off to Algeria for two friendly matches against Andorra and thereafter the Desert Foxes in the next two weeks. Following a successful Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, Bafana's head coach is looking to embed new blood into the South African team set-up.
One of the new faces in Hugo Broos’ team is Usuthu attacker Mbanjwa, who joins the likes of Orlando Pirates’ Patrick Maswanganyi and Sekhukhune United’s Elias Mokwana in the group looking to make their debuts in the senior team.
Mbanjwa’s rise to the top has not been the easiest, having played second division for Free State Stars, Polokwane City and the now-defunct Uthongathi FC. The Mariannhill-born player received his big top-flight break at the start of the 2023/2024 campaign as he was snatched up by Usuthu.
Following a brief adjustment period to the DStv Premiership, the 25-year-old has stamped his authority in the AmaZulu team and is one of the first names on coach Franco’s starting line-up.
Now in the eyeline of Broos’ plans for the future, Mbanjwa looks set to take his career to the next level, with other clubs already linked with signature despite being in his debut season in the top flight.
AmaZulu head honcho Martin could not contain his pride at Mbanjwa’s recent achievement, having gifted him his chance at Usuthu.
“We are really happy and we’re really proud of him and also for the club and how the club is working,” he said
“Mbanjwa is a player who made his debut this season in the DStv Premiership, he was playing in the NFD (now Motsepe Foundation Championship), so this speaks a lot about his growth and not only him but the rest of the AmaZulu players this season who were in the same situation in terms of getting into these preliminary lists.
The Spanish-born mentor spoke of his plans to ensure his AmaZulu players getting national team attention remain humble, and hungry for further success.
“With these young players, we need to remind them that the performance is not only on the field but also off the field as well, and they need to be ready and keep their feet on earth,” he said.
“They are doing a great job but they need to keep growing if they want to be regular players for Bafana Bafana, and if they want to be regular players for the biggest teams in the PSL.”
Bafana will play their game against Andorra at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in the Algerian seaport city of Annaba on Thursday. They will then face the hosts, Algeria, at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in the capital Algiers on next week Tuesday.