From rivals to perfect partners

BIDVEST Wits player of the season, Thulani Hlatshwayo, says he and his central defensive partner‚ Buhle Mkhwanazi‚ used to be bitter enemies.

The cornerstone of Wits’s first league title win in their 95-year history was a centre-back pairing that coach Gavin Hunt brought to the club on his arrival four seasons ago.

In defence, they were almost impassable and both weighed in with crucial goals too – Hlatshwayo with four in all competitions, and Mkhwanazi with five.

Hlatshwayo said when they played at opposite ends – he for Ajax Cape Town and Mkhwanazi for Pretoria University – they did not get on.

On their goalscoring feats in the past campaign‚ Wits’s captain said: “Gavin would always shout at us‚ me and Buhle, and say ‘Tyson [Hlatshwayo] has two goals‚ you have zero, what are you saying?’ “We’re always motivating each other that way. “I used to fight with Buhle when he played for Tuks and I was at Ajax. We were enemies.

“The relationship we built when we moved to Wits. . . . the only thing that we could do was be united. And it paid off.”

Mkhwanazi said of a combination that took three seasons to perfect: “I don’t see that a partnership like this will come again soon at Wits.”

While Hlatshwayo has become a defensive stalwart and now also captain of Bafana Bafana‚ Mkhwanazi is yet to make a consistent breakthrough.

He was tipped for selection in new SA coach Stuart Baxter’s now famous first game – the 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win against Nigeria in Uyo on June 10 – but denied by injury. — TMG