Newspaper
Soccer Laduma
Never become complacent
Reaching 300 matches in charge of a single club is not a milestone that happens by accident in South African football. It speaks to discipline and a level of consistency that very few coaches have ever managed to sustain in a league known for volatility and constant turnover. For Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker, this journey has come with pressure that never switches off, scrutiny that grows with every result, and expectations that rise with every young talent that his club produces. Yet through all of it, he has remained steady, present, and unwavering in the values that have shaped Stellies into one of the most admired operations in the country. In Part One of this interview with Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver, the Stellies coach reflects on the psychological battles behind the touchline, the unity that holds his dressing room together and the evolution that keeps him relevant. Coach Barker also opens up about the mechanisms, principles and perspectives that have fuelled his remarkable longevity.
4 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
The system doesn't always reward ability
Former Ajax Cape Town and Jomo Cosmos midfielder Neo Makua walked away from professional football far earlier than he ever imagined.
8 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Who is Chiefs' best striker?
Last season, Kaizer Chiefs lacked a reliable goalscorer up front.
9 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
We can now compete against the best
The domestic season is in full flight, and the Africa Cup of Nations is fast approaching, placing Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams at the centre of one of the most demanding periods of his career.
3 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Orlando is a uniq
Jose Riveiro's return to South Africa has stirred warm memories among Orlando Pirates supporters and not just because of what he achieved on the pitch.
2 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
The system treats them like chappies
Lebo Ditlhake’s journey is one of rise, fall, and remarkable redemption. Once a promising young athlete who excelled across multiple sporting codes, he was forced by life into adult responsibilities far earlier than expected. After experiencing his own struggles and rebuilding himself through business, Ditlhake is now dedicating his time, resources, and heart to supporting former professional footballers who have slipped through the cracks after their playing days. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Masebe Qina, Ditlhake opens up about the painful realities faced by South African legends, the birth of Ditlhake Masters FC, and his mission to restore dignity, confidence, and opportunity to the men who once entertained millions.
9 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
South Africa's VAR conundrum
The Betway Premiership ranks among the best leagues on the African continent.
2 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Mbokazi faces life-changing MLS decision
Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi has been linked with overseas clubs since making his professional debut. But the latest reports linking him with a move to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire has sent shockwaves across the South African football landscape. According to the reports, the 20-year-old Orlando Pirates defender is on the verge of completing a blockbuster $3 million transfer to Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire, a figure that converts to roughly R51 million. It is understood that the KZN-born defender has already travelled to the United States, where final negotiations are being wrapped up. The timing could not be more intriguing, with the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations around the corner and the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching.
7 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
We don't care about development structures!
This past weekend, we saw our three teams, Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs participating in the CAF inter-club competitions while the domestic league was also back in action, following the FIFA break.
7 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
In Touch With...
JABULANI MALULEKE (PART 1)
3 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Sundowns have set the bar
This is one of the top CAF Champions League games of the week.
5 min |
November 27, 2025
Soccer Laduma
It will strengthen our league
A few weeks ago, an article by Jack Kearns set South African football circles buzzing. Kearns is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa, a FIFA-licensed agent, a scholar with an LLB from University of South Africa (UNISA) and a Master's in International Sports Law from Real Madrid’s Universidad Europea. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Delmain Faver, Kearns unpacks a question many fans posed after Bafana Bafana’s qualification to the FIFA World Cup and the final match against Rwanda, where an entirely local-based starting lineup took to the field: why are so few South African footballers playing abroad? His analysis touched nerves and raised uncomfortable truths about visibility, player pathways, agent politics and the comfort of the PSL ecosystem.
5 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
I wouldn't say it's a burden
Steve Barker's tenure as Stellenbosch FC coach is a true testament that perseverance pays. After retiring from playing football, Barker, who is the nephew of the late former Bafana Bafana coach Clive
4 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Being a champion comes with pain!
We are back to local football following the International break, where we saw several national teams involved in FIFA World Cup qualifiers play-offs, while others played international friendlies. The AFCON is fast approaching, and the players will need all the time they can get to prepare. I’m sure coach Hugo Broos and his technical team will be looking to have the players earlier, with the Betway Premiership schedule running until closer to the tournament itself.
4 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
In Touch With...
BENNETT CHENENE - UNATTACHED
3 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
People will always worry
Years ago, before he retired from the game, Thabo September stated that he did not want to be a coach. Life, however, had other plans. He became the coach of SuperSport United's DStv Diski Challenge side and then went on to take on arguably the most insecure job in the Betway Premiership at Chippa United. After leaving the Chilli Boys at the end of last season, September decided to take a different path and, with a business partner, bought a franchise in the ABC Motsepe League. Now the CEO at Komani FC in the Eastern Cape, September is determined to build a club that will produce some of the finest talent South African football has to offer. Soccer Laduma's Tshepang Mailwane spoke to September about his big decision to purchase a club and what the plans are going forward. He also confirms that he is done coaching.
4 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
We need to broaden our horizons
I think the first objective was to get out of the group stages of the FIFA U17 World Cup, which they did, and for these boys to qualify for the World Cup is an achievement in itself.
5 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
It's a different pressure
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers almost concluded, the bright lights of international football have dimmed, and the intense, passionate focus of a continent shifts back to its club rivalries.
1 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
When love overrides business
We all agree that professional football is a business and therefore there are ethics, code of conduct, contracts and everything that goes with the employer and the employee when it comes to an agreement between a football club and a football player.
5 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
I have a bit of history with him
In Part Two of our interview, Modabi opens up about what led him to part ways with Pirates as one of their junior coaches and also talks about the lessons he learned from the club. With his trademark honesty and humour, Modabi also sheds light on what truly makes Pirates different – from the hunger demanded at training to the humility expected off the field - and why, for him, the Buccaneers' biggest gift wasn't just a coaching job, but a lasting education in structure, discipline, and belief.
4 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
I've seen the worst
“I’ve seen the worst. I’ve seen worse in my time. Me sitting here in this very moment in a club like Werder Bremen, or me playing in Germany is something I never imagined.
1 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
It will be a waste of money
Hola Soccer Laduma readers,
2 min |
November 20, 2025
Soccer Laduma
They focus entirely on being Pirates
Gerald, you’ve had the unique privilege of both playing for Orlando Pirates and later being part of the club’s DStv Diski Challenge technical team as a coach. Looking back, what does the club’s philosophy around youth development mean to you personally?
6 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Football players are not slaves
Mzwanele Mahashe did not get to play for the big guns of South African football, but he will probably be remembered as one of the most solid defenders to have played in the PSL. He has officially retired from the game and is focusing on a business he started with his wife, but he still wants to be involved in football after his playing career. The former defender started his professional journey at Bush Bucks FC and went on to play for Bidvest Wits, Bloemfontein Celtic, Baroka FC and Mpumalanga Black Aces, among others, but the last few years at Royal AM, TS Galaxy and Sekhukhune United were not so great for him, until he decided to retire. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Tshepang Mailwane, Mahashe opens up about retirement and the challenges footballers face along the way.
5 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Adams faces race against time
Jayden Adams' international future hangs in the balance, and the countdown has officially begun. With just one month remaining before Hugo Broos finalises his squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, the 24-year-old midfielder finds himself in a position few would have predicted two years ago. Once a rising star of Stellenbosch FC and a standout performer at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, Adams now faces the harsh reality of reduced game time at Mamelodi Sundowns and uncertainty around his Bafana Bafana role. The player who earned his way into Broos' plans through hard work and consistency has slipped into unfamiliar territory at club level, and his national team prospects have dimmed as a result. The Siya crew has been tracking his situation closely, uncovering worrying signs behind the scenes as Adams fights to keep his AFCON dream alive.
2 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Never become complacent
Reaching 300 matches in charge of a single club is not a milestone that happens by accident in South African football. It speaks to discipline and a level of consistency that very few coaches have ever managed to sustain in a league known for volatility and constant turnover. For Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker, this journey has come with pressure that never switches off, scrutiny that grows with every result, and expectations that rise with every young talent that his club produces. Yet through all of it, he has remained steady, present, and unwavering in the values that have shaped Stellies into one of the most admired operations in the country. In Part One of this interview with Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver, the Stellies coach reflects on the psychological battles behind the touchline, the unity that holds his dressing room together and the evolution that keeps him relevant. Coach Barker also opens up about the mechanisms, principles and perspectives that have fuelled his remarkable longevity.
4 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Ox's Chiefs comeback story
Sibongiseni Mthethwa was signed by Kaizer Chiefs just over two years ago.
4 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Those boys proved many people wrong
Amajimbos lost their last group stage match 3-1 against Italy but still qualified for the Last 32 of the ongoing FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
5 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
Still In Touch With...
GERT SCHALKWYK (PART 2)
4 min |
November 13, 2025
Soccer Laduma
The EPL season for the ages?
More than a quarter of the 2025/26 English Premier League season has been completed, and there are already glimpses of what many can expect for the remainder of the campaign. The league table is starting to take shape, revealing which teams will compete for the title, who will challenge for European qualification, and which sides may be dragged into the dreaded relegation battle. Soccer Laduma’s Matthew Petersen looks at the season so far and how the rest of the campaign may unfold, including a look at the teams who are expected to be in the title fight, the race for European football and the dreaded relegation battle come the end of the season.
4 min |