Ex-Chiefs star explains why Amakhosi players aren’t ready for AFCON level

Ex-Kaizer Chiefs star Josta Dladla has called for a “moment of truth” from the Amakhosi faithful, urging supporters to put emotions aside and accept why the club has zero representation in the final Bafana Bafana squad for AFCON 2025.

Despite signs of improvement under the current technical team, Dladla believes there is still a significant gap between club-level progress and the demands of international football.

The debate surrounding Kaizer Chiefs and the national team has largely centred on goalkeeper Brandon Petersen. The Amakhosi captain has been in sensational form, racking up a league-high nine clean sheets in 13 matches and 11 shutouts overall this season.

However, Dladla argues that statistics alone don’t tell the whole story when it comes to Hugo Broos’ selection criteria. While Petersen, Thabiso Monyane, and Bradley Cross made the preliminary cut, they were ultimately excluded from the trip to Morocco.

“No One Deserves to Start”: Dladla On Chiefs Players At AFCON

Speaking on the Lemiii LoCo on Sports show, the two-time league winner was blunt about the current crop of players at Naturena.

“Let’s be honest, I love Kaizer Chiefs,” Dladla said. “But as it is, Chiefs have not been doing that well. Yes, they are doing better this season, but I don’t see any Chiefs player stepping into the national team and starting—playing.”

Dladla further explained that even Mduduzi Shabalala’s inclusion as a standby player was more about long-term development than immediate necessity.

“I think it is just for experience. So for the next AFCON, he will be familiar with the event and its level. Most of the boys are still young; they still have time.”

A Rebuilding Phase As Bafana Chase AFCON Glory

For Dladla, the lack of Bafana Bafana stars is a natural byproduct of a club in transition. He maintains that while the “rebuilding phase” is moving in the right direction, it requires patience from a fan base used to seeing half the national team made up of Glamour Boys.

“Rebuilding a team takes time. I think they are in the right space right now because there are a lot of young ones. If these boys really want to learn and grow, it is up to them. We have to wait for Chiefs.”

As it stands, Chiefs will have to watch the AFCON tournament from the sidelines, as Hugo Broos continues to favour the established cores from Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.