Madonsela riding high with Sekhukhuni

Article by Andile and Mandla Dladla

Like most boys growing up in the dusty streets of South Africa’s townships, Nkanyiso Madonsela began kicking around a woman stocking stuffed with plastics and newspapers from a very young age running up and down and in the process developed a deep love for the beautiful game.

He was always the youngest in groups of much older players and yet still excelled whenever there was a kick-about. Playing for his hometown amateur football team from Pietermaritzburg where he was born, he started showing the potential and passion that eventually got him noticed by bigger teams.

“By the time he was 15-years old, I had already been promoted to the first team,” said Madonsela. “That was when I joined Maritzburg United’ U-17. I worked very hard and always made it a point to learn from the more experienced players,” he recalls adding that he was soon promoted to the U-19.

Although a multi-talented individual in different sporting codes excelling in athletics and cricket, his most favourite sport remained football.

“We were invited to a tournament in Durban where most high schools from the whole province took part and I was scouted by Amazulu FC and played in the ABC Motsepe League (formerly known as the Vodacom league).”

But as fate would have it, he was offered a contract which was mysteriously never given to him to attach his signature and he ended up at Golden Arrows after being recruited by Muhsin Ertugral.

The current Sekhukhune United FC left back and left winger once received an offer from Jomo Sono to join Jomo Cosmos FC which he could not reject as a new coach had come in at Golden Arrows and was no longer playing regularly.

He signed for Cosmos and gained promotion to the PSL and also got relegated back to the NFD with the very same team.

“There has been ups and downs in my career but I have been blessed to play for some of the top teams in the country.

“The GladAfrica Championship is very competitive because you get to play in difficult and different conditions across the country where sometimes the fields not the same level. It is all about mental strength and not forgetting that every team is playing for promotion.

“Sekhukhune United FC is a good team, the project and vision of the chairman is amazing and we are running with it because things are professional here and we have a mixture of youth and experienced players which brings balance plus stability to the team. Our coach McDonald Makhubedu and the technical team are pushing us and the result is that we are currently leading the chasing pack.

“As players we don’t judge each other but encourage and build each other. We travel quite a lot and most of the time we are away from our families but having your teammates as one big family which makes it a great experience to be home away from home. It shows in the current position we are at in the league and we continue to push hard.”