Bidvest Wits star’s brother a ‘hero’

An elevator leads to the games room, which includes a pool table and a bar.

There is also a media lounge, a wine room and a gym for working off all those Christmas calories she might WHEN Mthobisi Mahlambi heard that his younger brother, Phakamani, would be making his football comeback after a lengthy knee injury, he immediately cancelled his holiday plans.

There was no way he would miss the 19 year old’s return to competitive action for Bidvest Wits. Especially since he was playing with the new hamstring that Mthobisi had donated to him.

“It’s been an incredibly tough few months for my brother, and to see him return to the pitch was special,” said Mthobisi, 20.

Earlier this year, Mthobisi made a huge sacrifice by donating one of his hamstrings to his brother after Phakamani picked up a career- threatening injury during a Premier Soccer League match in February.

Phakamani tore both his medial and anterior collateral ligaments, ending his season and Rio Olympics dream.

An injury like that would usually be mended using the patient’s hamstring as a tendon to thread through the injured parts of the knee, but in Phakamani’s case, this could have caused a loss of speed on his return – a key component in his game.

“I didn’t think twice about donating my hamstring to my brother,” said Mthobisi.

“Initially my dad had offered to donate his hamstring to Phakamani, but I didn’t want him to go through such pain at such an old age.

“I was more than happy to undergo the operation. My family are my everything. We stick together and support each other no matter what.”

“I felt shivers down my spine after seeing my brother play this past weekend. He even went on to win the man of the match award. I am just so happy for him.

“Throughout the years, we’ve always remained very close and we are like best friends, so I’m just really happy that my brother is back in action.”

Phakamani dedicated his man-of-the-match trophy to Mthobisi, and described him as his “hero”.

“It was an incredible feeling and such an amazing gesture by my brother,” he said.