It made me who I am today

Tshegofatso “Ninja” Ramabu's journey through South African football is a story of discipline, perseverance, and dedication. From a young boy in Limpopo to a standout talent in Kaizer Chiefs' renowned development system, Ramabu's path symbolises the hopes and dreams of countless young footballers across the country. Spotted at a tender age during the Danone Nations Cup, he was invited to join Chiefs' U13 team, beginning a journey that would see him progress through every youth division, eventually earning recognition from the first team by the age of 16. Over the years, he trained alongside some of the country’s best players, learning from seasoned professionals while navigating the pressures of fame, school, and personal life. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Masebe Qina, Ramabu opens up about his formative years at Chiefs, the lessons he learned from coaches and teammates, the challenges of transitioning to professional football, and the injury that ultimately shortened his playing career.

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Masebe Qina: Tshegofatso, thank you for speaking to us. Let’s start at the beginning - how did it feel to be part of Kaizer Chiefs’ development structures at a young age?

Tshegofatso Ramabu: I would like to say that I was very honoured, and it was a privilege because the opportunity came to me when I was still very young. I think when I got to Chiefs, I was 11 or 12 years old, so I started from an early age there. I did all my development there because I stayed for about six to seven years before I could get promoted to the senior team. I grew up in the structure, in the development system, and everything was very professional because we were taken good care of. When I got there, I felt at home because everything was great and very well organised. I enjoyed my years there. We were under good guidance, with very good leadership and excellent coaches. The structure was world-class. It was very professional, and we got to know about the best development systems in the country.

MQ: Can you take us back to the beginning — how did your journey with Amakhosi start?