Born and bred in Masakona village at Venda, Ndamulelo Rodney Maphangule rose through all the ranks of South African football to the elite top-flight division in what was part of his journey to achieve his life-long childhood dream of becoming a professional football player, playing in the top-tier league in the country.

Maphangule’s career took off when he burst into the reserve league with the Black Leopards’ Dstv Diski Challenge (previously known as MDC) squad in 2019. After impressing in the DDC, Mbombela United, who were playing in the second division at the time, came calling in the 2019/20 season and secured his signature on a loan deal.

He returned to the Leopards at the end of his loan stint before eventually parting ways with the club. However, he got his big break when he signed for Polokwane City at the beginning of the 2021/22 season, where he realised his dream as he helped the team to the Dstv Premiership after clinching the Motsepe Foundation Championship title on a dramatic final day of the 2022–23 season.

In an exclusive interview with Guardian Report, the 25-year-old midfielder expressed his feelings on what it means to finally rub shoulders with some of the finest players in the country and play top-flight football.
“I feel so happy to have achieved my dream; this is something I have always wished for and dreamt about ever since I was a little kid, so it really means a lot to find myself playing football at the level I always aspired to reach when I was still growing up,” he told this publication.

Like many other football players, Maphangule’s journey to the top wasn’t smooth sailing. one and was subject to stumbling blocks along the way. The Polokwane City man has revealed the struggles he faced prior to signing for the Johnny Mogaladi-led club.

“The toughest period in my career came after my stint at the Black Leopards because it was very hard for me to find another team where I could showcase my talent, and it was also hard to even get an opportunity to do trials at other clubs,” he said. “Even if you get a chance to trial at a club, it’s not easy to get a contract offer.

I tried my luck at Venda Football Academy (now known as VFC) after the team bought a status, but they didn’t sign me despite playing in the ABC Motsepe League at the time. That’s when I decided to leave Venda for Gauteng and went to try my luck at JDR Stars, Tuks (University of Pretoria), and Pretoria Callies.

Again, I was not successful during all those three attempts, as none of the teams signed me, so it’s not easy to find yourself playing in the top-tier division.”

The Limpopo-born player is now gaining experience in the Dstv Premiership as a regular starter, having started 21 matches in the league last season, in addition to one Nedbank Cup appearance and two in the Carling knockout cup, where he scored his first top-flight goal in a 4-1 thrashing of Supersport United in October.

With experience in both leagues, Maphangule has shed light on what sets the first and second-tier leagues apart: “The MFD (Motsepe Foundation Championship) is too physical. While in the DSTV Premiership there is more tactical work, it demands more thinking, a lot of planning for the opponent or individual players in some encounters, and there’s too much analysis of the games, unlike in the second-tier, where it’s less,” he stated.

“In the elite league, more emphasis and focus are placed on movement, whereas in the NFD, most teams play route-one football because they want to be promoted quickly.” Despite making his dream come true and establishing himself as one of the important figures in the Polokwane City squad, the Rise and Shine midfielder is determined to go even further and has set his sights on other loftier ambitions in his career.

“It has been a long ride, but it doesn’t stop here because, as a player, I have an ambition to play for the national team; it’s also something I have always dreamt about: to wear the Bafana Bafana jersey and represent my country. Winning more trophies is another goal I hope to accomplish in the future, but I believe one day all of this will be possible through hard work,” said Maphangule.