EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Chiefs star dismisses doubts over Amakhosi duo’s future

Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Rodney Thobejane has offered an optimistic perspective on the futures of two Amakhosi players, Happy Mashiane and Samkelo Zwane, who were recently sent out on loan.

Thobejane believes the loan spell at Siwelele FC presents a valuable opportunity for the duo to reignite their careers, asserting that their time with the Soweto giants is “not over.”

Mashiane And Zwane Struggling For Game Time At Chiefs

The two players, both graduates of the Kaizer Chiefs academy, have been struggling to secure minutes on the pitch during the current 2025/26 season. Mashiane, aged 27, and Zwane, 23, have yet to feature in any official matches, prompting the club to loan them out to gain match fitness and experience. The pair will spend the remainder of the season with Siwelele FC.

This move sees the Chiefs duo join a Siwelele side that has also been facing challenges in the Betway Premiership, having managed only two victories in their first nine league matches.

Thobejane views the loan as a strategic and necessary move, especially given the increased competition for places within the Kaizer Chiefs squad. He suggests that the decision to loan out the players is a reflection of the club’s ambition this season.

“I don’t think it’s over for them in terms of playing for Chiefs. What I have realised is that competition in their respective positions is stronger,” Thobejane told Pan-Africa Football. “If you look at Chiefs this season, I feel they want to challenge for titles.”

He elaborated that the loan move to a fellow PSL team is an excellent chance for the players to develop. “But I am happy [they were loaned] because they are giving them that opportunity to go and revive their careers, get some experience because they are loaned to a PSL team.”

The former Chiefs defender emphasised the importance of maintaining a positive mindset during the loan period, urging Mashiane and Zwane to see this as a temporary step rather than a permanent exit.

“So I think they must also be positive and never have negative thoughts that maybe it’s over for them. If they can just be positive and tell themselves that they want to go back to Kaizer Chiefs, they will make it,” Thobejane stressed.

He affirmed their quality, stating, “It’s not like they are bad players. These are quality players, but the club they are playing for has more pressure to challenge. They also have too many young players.”

Thobejane added that the loan move is a mutually beneficial arrangement: “So, according to me, the loan move was a good thing for both the club and the players.” The opportunity at Siwelele FC is therefore framed as a vital step for the two academy graduates to demonstrate their worth and secure a long-term future back at Amakhosi.