Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma has backed his counterpart Amazulu shot-stopper Veli Mothwa to bounce back after a recent series of blunders in goal, both on international and club level.
Mothwa, who was given the nod to start in goal in the absence of Ronwen Williams, was beaten twice from a distance in Bafana Bafana’s 2-2 draw against Uganda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers last month and was subsequently subject to scrutiny and criticism.
The 33-year-old goalminder was dropped for Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine four days later against South Sudan. Mothwa’s woes continued as he gifted Polokwane City the maximum points with another error in stoppage time of Usuthu’s opening Betway Premiership encounter.
Now, Bvuma, who has received his fair share of criticism over the years, insists the absence of Williams in Hugo Broos’ September squad didn’t expose the conundrum of a lack of quality replacements for the Sundowns No. 1.
“Ronwen [Williams] has been solid for the team, for the country. I wouldn’t say him not being around for the last qualifiers exposed other goalkeepers no, I mean we are human beings at the end of the day, we all make mistakes,” Bvuma said.
The Chiefs Academy graduate came to the defence of Mothwa, who was the hero in the 2021 COSAFA Cup triumph under Jwaneng Galaxy head coach Morena Ramoreboli, stating that to err is human and is adamant that he will learn from his mistakes.
“We learn from our mistakes, and I spoke to Veli; he knows that he could have done better, but at the end of the day we learn from our mistakes,” stated Bvuma. “He made a mistake, Ronza [Williams] also made mistakes before you know, no one is perfect at the end of the day, so I believe when one makes a mistake, you learn from it, and that’s how you get experience.
However, Mothwa’s starting berth at Amazulu could potentially be in danger following the arrival of former Pirates shotstopper Richard Ofori on a free transfer after he parted ways with the Soweto giants at the end of last season.
It remains to be seen who will be preferred to start in goal by the newly appointed coaching duo of Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi, who replaced Spanish mentor Pablo Franco Martin at the helm after losing all opening three league matches of the season.
