TS Galaxy midfielder Puso Dithejane targets liftoff with Bafana Bafana

TS Galaxy midfielder Puso Dithejane says he is determined to break into the Bafana Bafana squad after producing a string of consistent performances for the Rockets over the past couple of seasons.

Dithejane has been one of South Africa’s fastest-rising young players, and having made several appearances in Hugo Broos’ preliminary national team squads, his dream of finally cracking the final selection remains alive. The 21-year-old has set his sights on earning a call-up for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) later this year.

The former Kaizer Chiefs development player has been one of Galaxy’s most reliable performers under Bosnian coach Adnan Beganovic, and with Broos known for rewarding players in good form, his opportunity could be just around the corner.

The Galaxy midfielder says he draws inspiration from seeing other young players given a chance in the national team—even in high-pressure fixtures such as the Fifa World Cup qualifiers—and believes that hard work will eventually open the same door for him.

“I would like to be in the squad that goes to the AFCON.” Dithejane said.

“My focus is on improving when we play league and cup games. I want to keep improving my performances so that coach Hugo Broos can notice me.

“I am motivated when I see younger players in the national team. They give me the belief that I need to keep pushing and looking forward.”

Dithejane’s teammate Khulumani Ndamane has also earned regular call-ups to the national setup. After patiently waiting for his turn, he has recently begun to get game time—something that fuels Dithejane’s own motivation.

“I am happy for Khulumani because we always talk about being in the national team. We’ve both done well for our club.

“The players currently in the national team have been doing well, but on my side, I just need to keep improving—and maybe that will give me the chance to be at the AFCON.”

A product of Chiefs’ youth academy, Dithejane was once regarded as a major prospect for the future. However, like many before him, he never got the opportunity to break into the senior team. His move to Galaxy has since proven to be the right decision, allowing him to develop further and showcase his ability.

Addressing the circumstances around his departure from Naturena, Dithejane shed light on what led to his exit.

“There is some truth in what has been reported about the ball boy incident at Kaizer Chiefs,” Dithejane explained.

“We refused to be ball boys, but we tried to negotiate with the club to get other people to do it because we had a game earlier that day. Those negotiations didn’t go well, and we were told we disrespected the club. We had a meeting, and then we were let go.”

Now thriving at Galaxy, the young midfielder has registered three goals and three assists in nine Betway Premiership appearances so far this season, and he remains grounded and optimistic about the future.

“I will never lose hope in football because I have a God-given talent. What I have to do is work harder and keep pushing at my current team,” he said.

“I came to Galaxy not to prove a point, but to make a name for myself and make progress in my career.”