Mahaleni Mkhawula expressed gratitude to Orlando Pirates chairman Irvine Khosa for convincing him to extend his career after the success of the last season, stating that he still has the strength and desire to achieve success with the club.
Last season, Mkhawula reached the pinnacle with his home club, winning three trophies, including the prestigious Betway Premiership title. Previously, he had stated that if the team won the league, he would hang up his boots. However, this did not happen.
In the current season, Mkhawula remains at Pirates and is ready to prove that he is still a valuable figure in coach Abdelsalam Waddu's plans, despite turning 37 in the middle of next month.
Before the MTN8 final match against Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening (at 18:00), Mkhawula stated: 'I still have legs.' He added: 'So thank you to the chairman for giving me another opportunity and for saying, 'No, we still need you, buddy.' I am grateful for this opportunity. My legs are still here, and I can still run.'
Despite winning all domestic trophies since joining Pirates in January 2023, Mkhawula maintains a strong desire to win more, including the CAF Champions League, which the team has not won in 31 years.
Mkhawula admitted: 'I think I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve,' but also noted: 'But there are still things I want to achieve. So, I hope we can get them.'
One of the goals Mkhawula wants to realize in what may be his last season with the club is an unprecedented fifth consecutive MTN8 trophy. This will not be easy, as the relatively young and refreshed Pirates team will face a fully formed and cohesive Sundowns team in the final.
Nevertheless, Mkhawula is not worried. He urged his teammates to rise to the occasion and prove that they have a strong mentality and will to win to compete with any team on match day. He emphasized that it would be good for players who have not won the MTN8, and that they need to set the tone for other teams by showing they are capable of defending their titles, including the Betway Premiership. He concluded: 'So we need to fight hard so they understand that this is not just a team, but a team that is solid and ready to fight for everything.'