Kwanda Mngonyama: CHAN opened the doors to my Bahrain contract

He was signed after the continental tournament, where he starred for Bafana Bafana alongside Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Malibongwe Khoza, who has since been called up by coach Hugo Broos for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda this week. 

The Mamelodi Sundowns product is grateful for what coach Molefi Ntseki did for him. 

He’s been in Bahrain for three weeks now, where they prefer playing him at centre-back and in the defensive midfield role. 

“If it weren’t for the CHAN tournament, this wouldn’t have been possible.  The coach here told me that they spotted me during the game against Guinea, as well as in the qualification match against Malawi. 

“They’re modelling my game on Yaya Toure here in Bahrain, and see me as an investment, who could be spotted by some of the big clubs in the big leagues in the Gulf region,” said Mngonyama. 

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The CHAN tournament, which was hosted in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, and Bafana were knocked out in the group stages after they were held to a 2-all draw by Uganda. 

Some of the players who were helped by the CHAN tournament and subsequently signed for clubs after returning from East Africa include Thabiso Kutumela, who has been signed by AmaZulu, Harold Motjadibodu at Chippa United, and Zakhele Lepasa, who is now at Siwelele FC. 

Sundowns defender Khoza, who has just been called up to the latest Bafana Bafana squad in the World Cup qualifiers, was also full of praise for the CHAN tournament and the good reference it has done for them. 

“The CHAN tournament has done a lot for us. I'm very happy for Kwanda, for the new cub he’s signed for in Asia. He’s been working very hard to find a new team, I’m really happy for him,” Khoza congratulated Mngonyama. 

Mngonyama was part of the SA U23 team that played at the Rio Olympics in Brazil in 2016, under coach Owen Da Gama. 

The 32-year-old has captained Bafana Bafana 12 times at the senior international level and has also played for Maritzburg United, Moroka Swallows, Cape Town City, Orlando Pirates, and Bidvest Wits.