Themba Zwane: Mamelodi Sundowns Star Narrates How Soweto Giants Wanted to Sign Him

• Themba Zwane has opened up on how his move to Mamelodi Sundowns came about, with him confirming Orlando Pirates' interest
• The South African international joined the Brazilians years ago and has gone on to etch his name in the history books of the club
• The Bafana Bafana star reflected on his career with the Pretoria giants, while also sharing how he later knew about Pirates' interest

Mamelodi Sundowns star Themba Zwane has disclosed that Orlando Pirates had shown interest in signing him before he eventually moved to Masandawana.

The experienced midfielder, now 36, joined Sundowns in 2011 and has gone on to make more than 450 appearances for the Tshwane-based side. Over his 15-year spell, he has netted 80 goals and lifted 18 trophies.

He has also enjoyed a good spell with the South African men's national team. He missed out on the squad selection for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, but was part of the squad that finished third at the previous edition in Ivory Coast.

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The veteran Bafana Bafana star is rated as one of the best players in the history of the Premier Soccer League, with several youngsters, especially Orlando Pirates' Relebohile Mofokeng, being seen as a perfect replacement for him.

Zwane on how he joined Sundowns

In an interview on PitchSide, Zwane shared details about how his transfer to Sundowns came about.

He explained that shortly after participating in Philly’s Games, he was called up to a national U23 training camp. While at the camp, he received a call from his Vardos boss, Sinky Mnisi, who informed him that Sundowns were seriously pursuing him.

Zwane said he was never told about Orlando Pirates’ interest at the time, only about Sundowns, which made the decision straightforward. Eager to seize the opportunity, he left camp to complete the move, describing the signing process as quick and seamless.

He admitted that he was so excited about joining Sundowns that he signed the contract without scrutinising its details, relying entirely on Mnisi’s guidance.

Zwane reflects on choosing Sundowns over Pirates

It was only later that Zwane learned Pirates had also been keen on signing him, but by then, his decision had already been made. He expressed gratitude for how things turned out, saying he has no regrets about choosing Sundowns.

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Reflecting on his career, Zwane has become one of the Premier Soccer League’s standout players, although he only cemented his place in the starting lineup around 2015.

Had he opted for the Soweto giants instead, he would have faced stiff competition in midfield alongside players such as Oupa Manyisa and Andile Jali during one of the club’s most successful periods. He later played alongside Jali and Manyisa at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Zwane’s impressive car collection

Briefly News earlier listed Themba Zwane's impressive car collection as the Mamelodi Sundowns captain is also one of the richest South African footballers.

The veteran South African footballer has some luxury cars in his possession, and it's all thanks to football.

Source: Briefly News