Mabena Likened To The Late Leremi

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says Siyabonga Mabena, who made his debut at the age of 16 years and 24 days old reminds him of the late Gift Leremi.

Mabena who joined Sundowns after a standout COSAFA U17 Cup tournament in Malawi last year where he won Player of the Tournament with nine goals scored, which qualified them for the U17 AFCON in Algeria later this year – arrived with a sterling reputation.

The Grade 10 student is a product of the School of Excellence and after just a few training sessions with the first-team and one game in the DStv Diski Challenge, Mokwena saw enough to throw him into the deep end and name him on the bench against Royal AM.

With Sundowns leading 5-1, he was thrown on for club legend Themba Zwane for the final 20 minutes of the game and he showed glimpses of what could be as he joined the likes of Cassius Mailula, Thando Buthelezi, Siyabonga Nyanga and Ntando Nkosi to make their first-team debuts for Masandawana in the 2022/23 season.

“The youngsters are… I say this even with Ntando and Cassius, Thando, Siya, they are a reflection of one; the investment of the club, two; the hard work of the academy staff and everyone involved and then of course the talents they have, so yeah exciting, exciting,” Mokwena said in the post-match press conference.

“I think the last player I saw with so much… I just hope I don’t jinx him and I ask also, as I asked with Cassius, be patient, he still has so much [to grow], don’t put him here, keep him [here], this is why the youngsters also stay out a little bit. I try to keep them out of the limelight.

“And I rotate them a lot because I’m protecting them from what we’ve seen in the past and learned this thing with Augustine Mahlonoko because I was also involved in also giving him that space, so patience with Mabena. But so many of these youngsters have quality. So just a bit of patience, allow us to coach them and try and help them and then they are very privileged.

“Imagine every day you’re 16 years old, training with Themba Zwane, Marcelo Allende and Peter Shalulile, Surprise Ralani, so many… then you have to dribble past  Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau, imagine, every day, so these kids are very privileged, so let them continue and yes it’s one step at a time and we try to improve them the way we can, it’s good for Sundowns and South African football.”

With Mokwena first reluctant to open up completely, he eventually made a bold statement, comparing him to one of the most talented players the nation has ever produced in Leremi, who tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2007 at the age of 21, the same year after joining Sundowns from Orlando Pirates.

“The late Gift Leremi… what the late Gift Leremi had is what I see,” Mokwena said when pressed over who Mabena could be linked to. 

“I see balance, left foot, right foot, change of direction at speed, very difficult… [and he’s] in control [of the ball]. But this of course.. Vaa Vaa Voom was special – but I think this boy has so many characteristics as the late Gift. As I said I hope it’s not a crown that is too heavy for him to carry.”