Kaizer Chiefs left-back S’fiso Hlanti has opened up on his call-up to the Bafana Bafana national team, amid a public outcry over the omission of Lyle Lakay.
The 31-year-old made his national team debut on 29 March 2016 in a goalless draw with Cameroon and has since donned the Bafana shirt 24 times.
However, he wasn’t part of coach Hugo Broos’ initial two Bafana squads for the 3-2 win over Uganda and the 0-0 with Zimbabwe as well as the 1-0 victory over Ghana.
During the previous international break, Broos opted to play Nyiko Mobbie out of position as left-back, which left many wonder even though the results went the coach’s way.
This time around, left-backs Hlanti and Cape Town City’s Terrence Mashego were added to the squad, with many still asking why in-former Mamelodi Sundowns player Lakay was not included.
Hlanti, though, believes it will be his role to not just battle for a spot in the starting XI, but also help the younger players in the camp with his experience.
“Firstly, for me, I’m grateful to Bafana to receive a call-up once more,” he told Bafana’s media department.
“Clearly, being in this game for quite some time and coming back to the national team at my age, is to give the younger ones the experience and such good things that I’ve went through in football.
“I’m not here to relax but I’m here to give them know what I know and what I’ve learned in football.
“So the encouragement and the mentality that will determine everything, so I also respect them. Because when you look at the other two games they’ve played, they were playing exciting football.
“It seems like things are going the way the coach wants, so it’s a good thing.”