Kaizer Chiefs‘ DStv Diski Challenge head coach Vela Khumalo has admitted to taking it with a pinch of salt after the club lost teenage sensation Emile Witbooi post an assessment.
The 18-year-old has been in the news of late for all the right reasons after starring for his club Cape Town City and was also snapped up by renowned sports agency Roc Nations who now represent him.
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Despite missing the 2026 COSAFA U20 Championship opener in Mozambique against Lesotho, due to club commitments, his arrival steered Amajita to a third consecutive COSAFA title, scoring the decisive goal in the 4-2 semi-final win over Zambia and walking away with the Man of the Match award in the final.
He was also on the radar of Polish Ekstraklasa outfit Górnik Zabrze, who are owned by German legend Lukas Podolski, but his moved was ultimately blocked by City who turned down a €800k (R15, 000 000) offer.
Khumalo, who has also worked with the son of former City and Mamelodi Sundowns winger Bradley Ralani in the national U17 side, reveals how hard it was to take losing Witbooi after the club attempted to have a second look at him.
“Even though I was not necessarily involved, I think Emile now who was with me at the national team. The World Cup he was with me,” he said on the Arena Sport Show with host Mahlatse Mphahlele.
“When he came to the club he was coming for U13 back then, so we couldn’t see much from him at that time.
“Then later on, we said he was once here. Emile was once with us. I remember he came for assessment, but he was very, very young.
“Later on, I asked Walter Steenbok [Technical Director at the time], I said, ‘man we need to bring this boy back again’ and he said, ‘no you guys didn’t take him, so, he’s gone now’.
“I took it with a bit of a pinch of salt.”