Harambee Stars defender Brian Mandela’s tribulations in South Africa

In Johannesburg

Mamelodi Sundowns defender Brian Onyango Mandela has shared how he maintains a positive outlook as he finds himself on the fringes at the dominant South African club.

Despite his appreciation for the Pretoria team's success and supportive environment, Mandela acknowledges the difficulty in securing playing time.

The Harambee Stars senior player has only played 22 games for Sundowns in the last two seasons.

This season, the centre-back has played a mere 237 minutes of football for the reigning South African champions in all competitions.

He has only made two starts and six substitute appearances.

The “Brazilians” head coach Rulani Mokwena has preferred Bafana Bafana defenders Mothobi Mvala and Grant Kekana as central defenders, reducing Onyango to a bench player.

Defensive midfielders Bongani Zungu and Rivaldo Coetzee have also gotten starts in the heart of defence ahead of the 29-year-old.

“God’s Grace has been carrying me all along. At Sundowns, we’re a group of good human beings, so when it’s not my turn, I will continue to support my brothers,” Mandela told Nation Sport in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

'Defying logic'

Mokwena has, meanwhile, hailed the Kenyan international as a “special breed”.

The 37-year-old mentor is adamant that the defender is a key part of the team and has revealed why Mandela has not played regularly.

"Brian is a special breed," Mokwena said. "For Brian to be playing football [those +20 games], he's defying logic.

"I mean, when he had a very serious injury to his knee, from a psychological perspective, he should have stopped playing football.

"So, Brian has played more than 20 games for Sundowns, trains the way he trains, and has the attitude that he has. He's an unbelievable human being and very special."

Mokwena also praised Mandela's leadership qualities, stating that his presence in the star-studded changing room is "so important" to the team.

"His leadership in the change room is so important. We are also fortunate that we have so many captains in our team. We have Rowen Williams, who's the captain for Bafana, Brian who's the national team captain for Kenya, Peter who's a national team captain for Namibia, and Mothobi Mvala, who was a captain at Highlands Park; I can go on and on.

"Besides Brian, we have got far too many people who have defied the odds and continue to grow and improve. I think as a football club, we are very lucky to have some characters and personalities that we have in our team."

Winning culture

Mandela joined “Masandawana” in 2020 after stints with Maritzburg United and Santos. Since his arrival, he has lifted three consecutive league titles (2020/2021, 2021/2022, and 2022/2023).

Mandela spoke highly of his experience with the South African giants, praising the team's passionate fans, world-class facilities and winning culture.

He went on to express his appreciation for the team's unwavering support.

 “First of all, Mamelodi Sundowns is one of the biggest teams on the continent. The 12th man is always there for us through thick and thin, and the facilities are top-notch," he said.

"Winning at Mamelodi Sundowns is a priority. It was very easy for me to adapt because I am surrounded by good human beings and champions, and it has helped me develop a winning mentality even off the pitch."

The Kenyan cherishes his two biggest achievements with the club so far.

"My most memorable moments were winning my first league title and being the first club to win the African Football League."

He revealed a seamless adaptation to the Sundowns environment. He credits this positive atmosphere with shaping his winning mentality on and off the pitch.

Meanwhile, Mandela and his teammates will shift their focus to the Caf Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Tanzania’s Young Africans.

Sundowns have only won the Champions League once, in 2016 under Pitso Mosimane, and are looking to repeat that feat.

However, they will have to overcome the challenge of Yanga, who reached the final of the CAF Confederation Cup last season.

The Jangwani giants are coached by Miguel Gamondi, who guided Sundowns to a league title in 2007 alongside Neil Tovey.

They also have Mahlatse ‘Skudu’ Makudubela, a former Sundowns youth player, in their ranks.

Downs and Yanga have met twice in 2001 in the same competition.

The Patrice Motsepe-owned side won the first leg 3-2 and the return leg ended in a 3-3 draw.