Maboe’s fond memories at Kaizer Chiefs youth team under Arthur Zwane
4th September 2025
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Newly signed Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebohang Maboe has fond memories of his youth days at Amakhosi.
Playing for the U19s at the time, from the current squad, captain Zitha Kwinika and Nkosingiphile “Mshini” Ngcobo, were just some of the players he grew up with. Coached by the club’s legend Arthur Zwane, now the head coach of AmaZulu, Maboe, who recently joined Chiefs from Mamelodi Sundowns, recalls how they used to enjoy playing for the club juniors.
"I've got very, very fond memories of the Bay Hill tournament that we participated in. I think it was 2011 and I was only 16 years old playing in an U19 tournament, which showed the trust that team had in the group that was there by then,” Maboe said.
“I played with guys like Zitha, Bruce [Bvuma], Mshini [Nkosingiphile Ngcobo], Kgotso Malope by the way. There's really like a handful of them that I can remember."
Maboe (30) recalls the days where he was coached by the late club legend and youth coach Ryder Mofokeng and how Zwane used to make it extra special for them to be part of the club.
"We were coached by coach Ryder Mofokeng, coach Arthur Zwane, I mean I can never forget our first time driving down to Cape Town with coach Arthur Zwane, how he made all feel like we belong,” he added.
“How he just enjoyed being with us, most coaches, you'll find them sitting in the front, that wasn't coach Arthur Zwane. The mood was always just very vibrant, joyful mood, in and around our camp back then."
Maboe, the son of Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic legend Sydwell Maboe, says coming full circle at Chiefs is a very special moment for him, after having been to Mbombela United, Maritzburg United (now Durban City) and Sundowns.
