Mamelodi Sundowns' latest midfield recruit, Katlego "Tsiki" Ntsabeleng, opened up about the origins of his nickname and how his hometown has influenced his football career.
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The story
Masandawana's second signing of the season, Tsiki Ntsabeleng, has opened up about the roots of his nickname and how growing up in Daveyton shaped his football journey.
Speaking on the Pitchside Podcast with DJ Naves, the 27-year-old shared personal insights following his move from Major League Soccer side FC Dallas.
Ntsabeleng joined the Chloorkop giants on a season-long loan for the 2025/26 campaign, bringing with him international experience and a flair honed in one of South Africa’s most talent-rich areas.
Located on Johannesburg's East Rand, Daveyton is widely known for producing some of Kaizer Chiefs' most gifted footballers, including Junior Khanye, Skapie Malatsi, Jabu Mahlangu, and Michael Nkambule.
Khanye famously dubbed the township "the Brazil of South Africa in terms of football" during a 2019 interview, with Ntsabeleng touching on why he used the football icons from his hometown as motivation.
"To me, I didn't look at it [hailing from Daveyton] as pressure; it was more like inspiration. If they can do it, I can do it, so that was the mentality I had," stated Ntsabeleng, who is aware of the stigma that’s attached to players from his hometown.
"Also, we know the situation when it comes to players from Daveyton, so I had to make adjustments to make sure I don't fall into the same traps that they did. It's both an inspiration and a learning curve," said the former Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs youth product.
Although Ntsabeleng is proud of his Daveyton roots, the midfielder's nickname is inspired by another Kaizer Chiefs legend, one of Soweto's finest, Thabo "Tsiki Tsiki" Mooki.
"So, there was this trick uTsiki Tsiki used to do on the ball, whenever they'd pass him the ball, he used to chip it, turn around and claim it again. It was my thing; I did it a lot as a youngster, and that name stuck with me until I grew up," shared Ntsabeleng on why he was nicknamed "Tsiki."
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