Khama Billiat: The tiny boy with magic in his feet
Khama Billiat might never have been discovered if a groundsman at his primary school had not caught him juggling a tennis ball in 1999. Arifa Sumani, who…
A wave of memory washed over me as I saw Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams sink to his knees, head bowed after each saved a penalty. It wasn't just the…
The misfortunes and triumphs of the indomitable Veli Mothwa
When you look at the challenges he has faced, you might describe Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Veli Mothwa’s life as a series of unfortunate events. How else…
The hip injury that gave Mothobi Mvala his breakthrough
The lure of watching four budding football talents at Harmony Sports Academy was just irresistible for Steve Haupt. After all, the academy had the crème de…
Evidence Makgopa: The rare rose that blossomed from a barren wasteland
Evidence Makgopa is that rare rose that grew from a barren wasteland! The rare gem that sparkles in fields that are not supposed to bear any diamonds. Truth…
From Sectional Wars to Philly’s Games: When football stopped gunshots in Tembisa
The power of football to transcend divisions and weave unity even from the most tangled threads of conflict has been repeatedly proven. From grand stages…
How Ian Wright inspired Ayanda Patosi to move mom from a shack to mansion
When Ayanda Patosi was young, he had an insatiable hunger to chase the oval-shaped ball in the dusty streets of Site C, Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Needless to…
Mateo Mahwayi – the mechanic unearthing football talents
In our world of big names, curiously, our true heroes tend to be anonymous! In football, the person of solid virtues who can be admired for something more…
Anele Ngcongca: The full-back who had the spirit of a coal miner
Undoubtedly, a picture is worth a thousand words! When Anele Ngcongca left Belgian giants Racing Genk in 2016, there was a double-page spread picture of him…
Sibongiseni ‘Ox’ Mthethwa and the audacity of hope
When talent scout Tebogo Moloi first saw Sibongiseni “Ox” Mthethwa on the field of play, his tucked-in shirt convinced him he was as old as people told…
Morena Ramoreboli: Coach with a knack for defying the odds
For the longest time, Morena Cuthbert Ramoreboli had to get used to the question: ‘Who the hell is he'? Not that it bothered him. After all, the man from…
