Junior Khanye, a former Kaizer Chiefs star, has expressed his disappointment that the Soweto giants failed to secure the signature of Emile Witbooi during his time with the School of Excellence.
Witbooi, just 16 years old, made his professional debut for Cape Town City against AmaZulu, further solidifying his status as one of South Africa's brightest footballing prospects.
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Khanye believes that Chiefs missed a golden opportunity, especially considering that rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns successfully signed Relebohile Mofokeng and Siyabonga Mabena from the same academy.
Witbooi, the son of former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Bradley Ralani, has already attracted international interest, having spent time in England for a one-month evaluation with Chelsea's youth team.
Now signed by Roc Nation Sports International, Witbooi's career is on a sharp upward trajectory, with scouts and fans taking notice of his immense talent and work ethic.
His rapid rise serves as a reminder of the importance of securing young talent early, something Chiefs may regret not doing.
"Chiefs were supposed to sign the boy if they really wanted to compete. That's the player they should have signed to strengthen their team. That's why I have been questioning some of the club's decisions when it comes to their scouting and signing of players, because I don't understand how they missed out on such a talented player. That's why I keep on referring to the days of Farouk Khan, and I am still saying that Chiefs' development has never been the same ever since Farouk left the club," said Khanye, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew.
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"What a talented player that boy is. I know the boy well and I have been following his progress, and I am very impressed with him. In that boy, people will see the best of what this country has to offer in terms of talent, and don't forget that we still have (Relebohile) Mofokeng and (Siyabonga) Mabena – oh, what a talent. Mabena is such a talented player who will surprise a lot of people, and it's just that he hasn't been given a chance to play regularly at Sundowns yet," Khanye added.
It didn't work out for him at Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns but the SAFA-Transnet School of Excellence took him in and the kid blossomed then Cape Town City came calling and the rest is history. pic.twitter.com/qkMW7yUmPl
— Football Stage (@Football__Stage) March 2, 2025
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