How Bafana star Hlongwane's tough upbringing motivates him at US club

There have been plenty of tough moments for Bafana Bafana’s young striker Bongokuhle Hlongwane in his first six months playing in the US, especially as his first steps into professional football were on his doorstep in Pietermaritzburg.

But the 21-year-old emerging talent, who signed for Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Minnesota United from Maritzburg United in January, knows why he made the move to America.

Hlongwane has emerged from a tough upbringing in KwaNxamalala, on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg.

Like many footballers, he wants to go as far as he can in his career so he can maximise the benefits to his family, the striker said from Rabat on Tuesday, where Bafana are preparing for their opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifier against Morocco on Thursday night (9pm).

“Everything is going well in the US but sometimes when I see people coming with their families to the game I’ll be, like, I need my family there too and to come and support me and be there for me,” Hlongwane said.

“It’s impossible for that to happen, because they are far, but I have to accept it. But it’s not hard because sometimes if you know what you want in life you have to do everything and face every challenge that comes your way. It’s about what you want and what you need, and the sacrifices you have to make for that.

“And what I want is for my family to be OK because I know where I come from, so that’s what keeps pushing me.”

Hlongwane said his father, a construction worker, has been without work since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I grew up in a family where my grandfather was supporting everyone, until my mom and uncles started working and my grandfather stopped working because he was too old.

“After that I moved in with my father, who was working as a construction worker until the pandemic started and everything stopped so he stopped working.

“Life started to be hard but when I got my pro contract for Maritzburg I started supporting my father. I’m not the breadwinner for the family, but I look after my father, sending money every month. My mother is working [as a nurse] but I send some money to her too to buy what they need at home.”

The tough-tackling, hard-running striker, who also packs a shot, has earned game time since his move, playing 14 league games and three in the cup for Minnesota, who are in eighth place in the 14-team Western Conference of the MLS.

“I won’t lie, I don’t really know what’s going on. Because I won’t say I’m not getting chances,” he said of his battles to get on the score sheet.

“The thing is I’m creating chances. They also create chances for me — I’m always in the right place at the right time. So I don’t know what is going on [with finishing chances].

“Sometimes I feel I’m putting myself under pressure because I know what I can do. At this time I don’t know what I can do to score. I’m waiting for that time to come and I know that it’s coming. I have to believe in myself and keep on pushing.”

Hlongwane could boost his club confidence with a goal against Morocco at Rabat’s 45,000-seat Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, to add to his two international strikes so far that came in last year’s 3-2 friendly win against Uganda and 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Ghana.