Sixteen-year-old Zise Mkhize, a rising star in cricket from Jeppe High School, attended the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards ceremony. For him, this event served as a source of inspiration, fueling his dream of becoming one of the country's leading players.
Mkhize shared in an exclusive interview with IOL that the opportunity to see the awards ceremony for professional athletes is very motivating. He stated that he sees himself on that stage in a couple of years.
Mkhize has already established himself as one of South Africa's most promising young all-rounders, having been named the player of the SA20 Boys Switch Schools tournament. His journey resembles that of Proteas star Themba Bavuma, who received a scholarship to study at Jeppe, one of Johannesburg's leading cricket schools.
He recounted starting cricket at the age of six, initially playing street cricket before transitioning to red ball cricket. Despite initial apprehension towards the ball, he noted that everything begins with that.
Although Mkhize showed great potential even in primary school, his game significantly improved after enrolling at Jeppe High School for Boys. This progress was the result of hard work, not sudden success. The first two years at the school were not perfect, but in the third year, he put in maximum effort, which allowed him to make it into the first team, where he continues to play. Recently, he participated in a team trip to Mpumalanga and plans to return there after the ceremony.
The young talent, who will turn 17 in September, still resides in Kagiso, Krugersdorp. When asked about his best personal achievement so far, he laughed, mentioning a big score of 186, but decided that it was too early for such an accomplishment.
Mkhize's plans include participating in the prestigious Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week, which is the pinnacle of provincial cricket for under-19 players in South Africa. Furthermore, his immediate main goal is to have the honor of playing for the South African U19 national team, representing the 'green and gold'. The youth understands that achieving these goals will require immense hard work, dedication, and constant focus.
Reports suggest that Arthur Zwane is considering a position within the Bafana Bafana national team structure, either as head coach or assistant. Such appointments could provide the necessary stability and balance for the future national squad.
According to reports that emerged on Tuesday, Zwane submitted his CV for the Bafana Bafana vacancy with the aim of replacing the current coach, Hugo Bruus. He joins Pitsos Mosimane in the list of potential candidates whose interests have recently been voiced by the association.
Mosimane enjoys significant support because he is well-acquainted with SAFA, having prior experience working in national structures. He possesses extensive high-level experience following successful spells at Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly.
Even if Mosimane takes the position, Zwane has the ability to breathe new life into the national team. As a head coach or assistant, especially alongside a specialist like Mosimane, the 51-year-old coach has many qualities to offer.
Zwane is a dedicated student of football. He already holds a UEFA A license and certainly plans to obtain a Professional License to meet all requirements for participating in matches, both locally and internationally. His current qualifications allow him to fully comply with CAF and FIFA standards.
Beyond formal requirements, Zwane embodies many positive traits of Bruus. He is known as a strict disciplinarian off the field, firmly believing that a player's lifestyle affects their concentration during training and matches. He has also proven himself in working with youth academies, many graduates of which have become key players for the senior Kaizer Chiefs team.
It is acknowledged that in his first major coaching experience with the Chiefs, he faced difficulties, serving only one season before being demoted. However, the general consensus is that he was simply not given enough time to fully establish his identity and playing style.
Zwane has significantly evolved since then. Last season, he demonstrated himself as an independent leader at AmaZulu, impressively managing the team and leading them to a respectable fourth place in the league. He achieved this result with a predominantly young squad, demonstrating the ability to guide young players under the pressure of the top division, while also showing maturity and personnel management skills.
If Zwane secures a role in Bafana Bafana, he possesses all the tools for success. This would mark a return to a familiar environment, given his previous experience working as an assistant to Molefi Ntseki. This pair also established strong working relationships at Kaizer Chiefs.
Ntseki currently serves as the technical director at SAFA, creating a familiar dynamic, although there are hopes that the national reunion will yield more stable results than their joint work at Naturena.
Presenting Zwane to the senior national team would also contribute to incredible cohesion with the youth structures. He has experience collaborating with the newly appointed U23 coach Raymond Mdaka in youth football, and he worked closely with U17 coach Vela Humalo during their time at Chiefs.
There are also reports linking AmaZulu manager Sandile Zungu to the presidential elections in SAFA this year. If this happens, it could pave the way for an interesting reunion with Zwane, allowing them to build upon the successful foundation they have already laid together at Usuthu.
Ultimately, the lack of trophies and less experience compared to Mosimane might be arguments against Zwane in a top position. However, if SAFA decides to appoint him as an assistant, it would be a huge victory for South African football. Zwane's calm temperament would perfectly complement Mosimane's assertive and demanding approach, allowing him to act as a vital bridge between players and the head coach, ensuring seamless transmission of ideas. Moreover, it would give the talented rising local coach an opportunity to learn from the best, guaranteeing a clear path of succession should he one day take the head coach role of the national team.
