Future is bright for Downs star Mkhuma
“THE gates are opening.”
That’s how an ecstatic Promise Mkhuma described the feeling of winning his first championship with Mamelodi Sundowns merely six months after his promotion.
A year ago, Mkhuma was a 19-year-old that already had his job cut out for him: lead Sundowns’ reserve team back to the top of the MultiChoice Diski Challenge, and don the Under-20 national team – Amajita – jersey with distinction.
But Mkhuma took the responsibility on the chin, considering that he had done it before: having been part of the Brazilians’ team that won the reserve league during the 2016/17 season.
While with Amajita, his success is also well documented.
He’s featured in the recent editions of the CAF Youth
Championship, Cosafa Cup and the World Cups.
This season was somewhat tipped to turn out like the rest for Mkhuma, going out and doing what he does best, but that he didn’t rest on his laurels.
In December, after yet another impressive first half of the season in the Diski, Mkhuma was slapped with a five-year professional contract by the club – as coach Pitso Mosimane continued to believe in the club’s academy players.
And thanks to the coronavirus, the Sundowns player was quickly drafted into the senior teams’ plans as ‘project restart’ needed fresh personnel after the long lay-off.
The youngster didn’t just add numbers to the talented Sundowns’ team in the ‘bio bubble’, but instead he made his mark, making three appearances and registering one assist as Sundowns pipped Kaizer Chiefs for the league title on the final day of the season.
“I’d say that I am excited about winning the championship with Sundowns since I officially joined the senior team in December,” Mkhuma said.
“It’s a feeling I’ve always wanted. So, it’s a great start. “The gates are opening.
“I am just looking forward to bringing more trophies to the club.”
Mkhuma, however, knows that he can’t think that that he’ll be able to thrive at Sundowns on his own.
And the 20-year-old has ensured that he keeps company with two of the many pillars in the team.
“My relationship with the senior guys is with captain Hlompho Kekana and midfielder Tiyani Mabunda. They are the ones that guide me through training and off the pitch. They advise me on what to do when it comes to working on my mistakes and nerves,” Mkhuma explained.
While Sundowns became the first team to win a record Premiership title – La Decima – more records were added to their history books in South African football.
They became the first team to have four development products, Mkhuma, Keletso Makgalwa, Nicholus Lukhubeni and Motjeka Madisha, play vitals role in their double triumph, having also won the Telkom Knockout in December.
“I’d like to thank the contribution and support that I’ve got from the development coaches. Their work has really paid off because I was prepared by them for the big stage,” said Mkhuma who’s doing his second-year in Officiating and Coaching Science at Tshwane University of Technology.