Siyambonga Madikane scored several crucial goals to help Young Bafana win the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League, but it was teamwork that closed the deal – and it’s teamwork he’s betting on to help them take the national championship next month.
As a young man, Madikane found himself in an argument that many young sports stars often get into with their parents – whether to follow their sporting dreams or to go to varsity.
“I had always believed that I would be a professional player, but after high school my mother had other plans,” Madikane recalls.
“She applied for me to go to university without me even knowing. She told me I was going to the Eastern Cape to study at Walter Sisulu University. I went there, passed my diploma, returned and asked her to play football. And she was okay with that.”
And it turns out he was more than just okay at it.
Diploma in hand, Madikane showcased his talent at clubs around the country: Zizwe United; FC Cape Town in the then National First Division (now called Motsepe Foundation Championship); Glendene United; Mbombela United; Ubuntu FC; Sternberg United; Cape Town Spurs; Grassy Park United. The list is endless.
Now Madikane is a parent himself – “a family-oriented father of three boys,” as he puts it – and the gifted left-footer is still showing off his skills.
This year, Madikane was a vital member of the Young Bafana side, which surprised many people in the football fraternity by winning the ABC Motsepe Western Cape title in their very first season.
Among many, he scored the goal that sealed them as leaders of their stream against FN Rangers, scored the sole goal as an equaliser in the two-legged final against Zizwe, and scored the winning penalty which ensured the Strand-based outfit would represent the Western Cape in the national playoffs in KwaZulu-Natal in their quest to win promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship, the second tier football league in the country.
But for Madikane, it’s not about the goals – it’s about the team.
“It’s not about me scoring the goals; it’s about winning as a team,” Madikane is quick to point out. “I always believe we will win, even when it doesn’t look like we can. Then it’s just faith that I get to score the goals. I’m grateful to the Man above for that.”
In the final, Madikane didn’t only face his former side in Zizwe, but also faced off against his best friend in defender Andile Ntluko. Throughout the clash, the two were constantly talking and teasing one another.
“He is my best friend, and we have been talking about that game since February. I reminded him that I had told him his team would never beat us, and he said our field was bad. Their coach had instructed him to man-mark me in set pieces, so I would take him away from where the ball would be played, knowing that he is a good jumper so that we could have an equal chance to get the ball.”
About facing his former employers in Zizwe and scoring vital goals, Madikane says: “I have huge respect for that team. They gave me the platform to showcase my talent. I am the man that I am today because of Zizwe United.”
Finding His Football Feet: Moving In The Right Direction
Over the years, Madikane has had many great moments in football. But as he got older and life got busier, his confidence dropped – and eventually, he decided to stop playing and focus on work and family.
Football wasn’t quite done with him, though.
“Mangaliso shakes Ntombana asked me not to stop and play LFA at least for fun at Diadora FC we won then coke, then he asked me to play ABC mostepe at least as he was the coach there, with the idea of helping me in becoming a coach as well in future, I agreed to then”.
“When I left Grassy Park United, I was going to focus on work and my family until I got coach Ashraf (Calvert)’s call, asking me to come to Young Bafana. He said he was assembling a team to win the league – and he would like me to be part of that team. I gladly agreed.”
On his arrival, the team only had four training sessions with the new coach and played the log leader, FN Rangers, who were four points behind. They won the game, and from then, Young Bafana believed they had a chance to win the league, which they did.
“For me, winning the league means I am in the right direction for what I want to achieve. That is to have something to show in my football career that will be gaining promotion to the ABC Motsepe Foundation.”
The win isn’t just important to him, though.
“Strand is a football-loving community – and this win has awoken the people in that community. They now believe anything is possible in football.”
Young Bafana will travel to KwaZulu Natal for the national championships next month, and Madikane has vowed that they will fight to the last to make their supporters proud.
“There are three things that keep us going: the spirit within the team, togetherness and the will to win,” he says. “We will fight to gain promotion, and we will give it our all. And we’ll do everything we can to make the Western Cape football community proud.”
