Khaphathe Nyandano

By Khaphathe Nyandano  Small or big, dreams do come true. Growing up as a kid, I have always been a football lover and as much as I take what I experience to the heart, winning the 2023 Christmas Day Tournament made me extremely happy. Taking a little step back from where I left to go and further my studies in Johannesburg will give a detailed insight on the significance of winning a local tournament’s trophy. In 2019, I obtained my grade 12 National Senior Certificate, and it sealed my move from Limpopo to Gauteng province. At that time, I was only 18 years of age and to be honest, it was a perfect age to play the local football week in and out. Unfortunately, it never happened that way because it was extremely hard to find a team in Johannesburg. However, people always thought that I went to a right place because Johannesburg is a hotspot of various opportunities, including playing football at the highest level. A friend of mine, Mukwevho ‘ Fire ’ Ngeletshedzo once asked me i...

It has not been an easy two years of living since my brother, Agreement 'Dyambila' Khorombi was stabbed to death in November 2021. He was the only child his mother had and to see him leaving her alone too soon and forever, makes this whole situation more painful. Before he tragically passed away, he was still grieving for his father who had passed on a few months before his death.    However, the relationship between me and my late brother had always been special because both our mothers grew up together as they share a father but different mothers. They come from an extended family, as my grandfather from my mother's side had two wives. So, Agree as many people used to call him, was my big brother who would give me his clothes if they were no longer fitting well on him. As you know that when you are growing older, there are certain clothes that you should give to your younger siblings. I still remember a yellow vest that he gave me, it has a drawing of a footballer kicking...

Khaphathe Nyandano after school in 2014. Grade 8 at Dzata Secondary School.   I feel old enough to not be ashamed of my age now as I am 22. It is a great privilege to still be alive today since I was born in 2001, January the 4th. I happened to be the first born of the woman who gave birth to me but as an extended family like ours, I am a third born to my father. There are many exciting facts about my life altogether and it is a matter of time until I share them with you. One of them is that I come from a rural area, Tshiheni Village in Limpopo, Venda. It is a small village that it can be so hard to imagine yourself successful in the future because there is a limited access to a variety of opportunities. I am talking about a place where there is no clinic, secondary school, proper transportation and of course job opportunities. Nyandano arriving at home from school, at least with a box of chips.  You can tell by just observing the picture above 😅, the background says it all, ...