Hlanti living his dream
Fortunes have fluctuated for the young left-back from Newcastle
HE’S gone from being an outcast at AmaZulu to being an Absa Premiership title contender with Bidvest Wits, to making a Bafana Bafana debut against one of Africa’s powerhouses in his home province.
This happened in just three months for Sifiso Hlanti.
All of this, however, does not really make up for missing out on a move to Kaizer Chiefs when AmaZulu were relegated to the National First Division last season.
“Yes, it was true [Chiefs were interested], but then it was up to the team [AmaZulu].
“When you have a contract, you can’t just come up and say I won’t be able to play for the team anymore. I could not breach my contract.
“I was disappointed that I could not move, but I told myself that I need to focus,” said the 26-year-old, who grew up supporting Orlando Pirates.
Asked if joining Wits and playing for Bafana against Cameroon on Tuesday makes up for not moving to Naturena, Hlanti said: “I don’t think so. But you know football. You can’t say it’s not going to happen anymore.
“But I do not want to lie to you — I am happy where I am.”
Born in Newcastle in KwaZuluNatal, Hlanti made his Bafana debut in front of his family and friends at Moses Mabhida Stadium and did not disappoint.
It actually looked like Hlanti was one of the regulars in the team, the left-back taking all the corner kicks and set pieces with the sweet left foot he used to score a brilliant goal on debut for Wits against his former team Golden Arrows in February.
What made the occasion more special was the presence of his fiancée. “It was a great feeling to be part of the national team.
“And it was great that my wife-tobe was there. My sister and my father were also there and some of the people who are close to me.”
Happy as he was to have those close to him at the World Cup venue, Hlanti still wished his mother was there.
“My mother passed away two years ago. It would have been a great moment for her if she was still here to see me playing, but we cannot change what happened.”
When the year started, Hlanti would never have imagined that he would be in national team colours, having been relegated to the reserve team at AmaZulu for apparently refusing to extend his contract.
“If you take a look at where I come from, I did not think I would be in the national team so quickly. I was not associated with the team [AmaZulu],” said Hlanti, who did not want to talk about why he was separated from the Usuthu first team.
“Coach Gavin [Hunt] gave me the opportunity by signing me at Wits. So when I received the call from him that I was in the national team, I told him that the credit should go to him because he gave me an opportunity to play in the PSL [Premier Soccer League] again.”
Hlanti spent a few years in
NATIONAL DUTY: Sifiso Hlanti, left, made his debut for Bafana Bafana this week against Cameroon in an Afcon qualifier Soweto with his grandmother, whom he visits regularly now that he is in Johannesburg.
“My mom was still at school, so I had to come down to Joburg to stay with my granny. I went back to Newcastle when I started school. That’s where I started playing football.
“And then when I was in Grade 10, I came down to Pirates. I did not make it, so I went back to Newcastle to my team called Young Dribblers. They were playing in the Castle League.”
His first PSL club was Arrows, though he was unable to get regular game time.
“My first professional team was Arrows. I did not play much, so I was loaned out to Chippa. We won promotion at Chippa and then I went back to Arrows. Then I was loaned to Thanda [Royal Zulu].
“When my contract with Arrows finished, I joined AmaZulu in the 2013/2014 season.”
He added: “I was not expecting to play so soon because in terms of fitness I was flat.”
Now back from international football, Hlanti and his Wits teammates will be looking to beat Mamelodi Sundowns to the league title.
“We are not under pressure. If we keep on winning our matches, then anything can happen. It’s about being consistent and the rest will follow,” he said.
If you take a look at where I come from, I did not think that I would be in the national team so quickly