From the mountain kingdom of Eswatini emerged an array of exceptionally gifted footballers that went on to carve their names in gold letters in the hearts of South African football followers. William "Cool Cat" Shongwe, Absalom "Scara" Thindwa, Abel "Chaklas" Shongwe, Sibusiso "Spoko" Dlamini, Dennis "Yuki Masina... they all contributed enormously to the development of local football. Now, following in their footsteps comes Justice Figuareido, who has taken to the DStv Premiership like a duck to water, displaying his God-given talent at Richards Bay FC. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Thomas Kwenaite, the lanky forward details his struggles with strange and sometimes weird injuries that curtailed his progress, talks about his wonder debut goal for the Natal Rich Boyz and why things didn't work out at Maritzburg United.
Thomas Kwenaite: It's not been the best start to the current DStv Premiership season for Richards Bay FC. Feeling any pressure?
Justice Figuareido: It has indeed been a very tough start for us. I mean, one win in eight opening games (before the game against Polokwane City on Wednesday night) is simply not good enough. Being down there at the bottom of the league table so early in the season is uncomfortable. It's like you are carrying everyone above you on your shoulders. The burden is very heavy. Every game you play now is like a cup final. We need to push and try to win some of the games. The pressure is there, no doubt, but we must continue pushing.
TK: How do you then plan to get out of there?
JF: Being in the relegation zone is tough, I don't want to lie. It's a dog-eat-dog kind of a situation. I mean, it's like everybody sees you as an outlet to collect maximum points. You know, when you are at the bottom, everyone is pressing you down, but you need to find the courage to win games and extricate yourself from that situation. We need to fight to get that second win. We need to approach our games like we are going to war, literally speaking. We need to fight for every scrap of points available in every game. But I am confident that we will go up.
TK: On a positive note, your first goal in the elite league was against Moroka Swallows, a fantastic strike to help the team to a first win to end a 19-game winless streak.
JF: My heart simply started pumping very fast when I received the ball. I knew I had to make a plan. It happened, I scored and I just couldn't believe it. I didn't even know how to celebrate that milestone. I just told our defence that now we needed to continue working hard. I was literally begging the defence to keep it tight at the back. I implored them not to concede, I just wanted us to win that match. I was going to die and fight for everything in that game. Fortunately, we didn't concede and we won. I was very happy at the end of the game. The mood in the camp changed. We knew that if we gave more, we could win more games. That victory was a motivation to continue pushing.
TK: So, how did you join the club?
JF: The Richards Bay chairman (Jomo Biyela) was speaking to my agent and they reached an agreement. My agent later told me that Richards Bay were interested in me and asked me, "What do you think?" At the time, I was playing in the National First Division (Motsepe Foundation Championship) and really wanted to get back into the Premier League, and the offer was an ideal opportunity. That is how I ended up down here.
TK: You spent a considerable time at Cape Town All Stars, who later relocated and became All Stars. How did you as players juggle being based in the Mother City yet playing your home matches in Gauteng?
JF: The previous year, we relocated from Cape Town to Johannesburg, but most of us were based in Jozi. For us relocating… As a soccer, player you need to be on your toes and be aware that anything can happen. If you have to move from Point A to B, you've got to be ready at all times. You've got to be like a soldier and be conscious that any day you can move. It wasn't easy, but you have to be like a chameleon in order to adapt very fast to new surroundings. At first, it was tough, but once we started getting results, it became easier.
TK: How was your time spent at Maritzburg United?
JF: My time there was alright. When I arrived, there was coach Fadlu (Davids). He believed in me and I started seven games and in total I played 14 games. Then we started drawing and losing games, we found ourselves in the relegation zone, so coach (Eric) Tinkler came and we continued to labour under pressure. I was no longer playing and eventually I found myself no longer in the matchday squad, banished to the stands. I did not play for the rest of that season. The next season, they sent me out on loan to Mbombela United. It was great at first (at Mbombela), and towards the end of the season, I was pretty ok. But I was struggling, it wasn't my time. There were a few Swazi players there (Felix Badenhorst, Sabelo Ndzinisa and Banele Sikhondze) and I didn't feel like I was far from home. I had a great time there. We pushed very strong, but unfortunately the team ended up being relegated after the League docked the club 23 points relating to a disciplinary case involving one player.
TK: You also had a spell with TS Galaxy…
JF: I only played five games at TS Galaxy largely due to an assortment of injuries. I would recover from this injury, get back into the team and, a week later, I would break down again. It was just very frustrating for me there. And the club was also releasing players. I thought the chairman (Tim Sukazi) was going to chase me away and release me as well, but he kept me at the team. I remain grateful for that because I was injured for the whole season and only played five games. It was just a bad time for me.
TK: How have you managed to play 85 official matches as a professional without ever being sent off?
JF: Yeah, well, with all modesty, all the games at the top without getting a red card and accumulating four yellow cards, I think it shows the respect and the discipline that I have towards my fellow professionals and teammates. Even if a defender chops me on the field on purpose, I'm always mindful of why I'm on the field. I know it's a mind game. They try to get you upset so that you should lose concentration. For me, I let it go fast because I know they are trying to get to my brain, disturb my emotions. I focus on the game and run away from those type of incidents. On the field, when an opponent kicks me and wants me to say something, perhaps he wants to see my reaction in order to know if he has managed to wind me up or has been able to rattle me. I usually do not give my opponents the satisfaction of knowing that I am upset. I simply step away from those type of battles. Yes, I will fight 100%, no doubt, and yes, I do get angry and at times feel inclined to retaliate, but I choose my battles wisely. In most cases, I choose peace than (to) retaliate.
TK: Some people have found an uncanny resemblance to Felix Badenhorst. Are you two related?
JF: Felix and I are very close and besides being my hommie (homeboy), we are good friends and we used to spend so much time together. When we played together at Mbombela, we used to room together and we moved together to TS Galaxy. We used to stay together at the same complex, so yeah, we are very close. In fact, we are like brothers. But we are not related.
TK: On to national matters now. Does it bother you that Eswatini has never qualified for the Afcon?
JF: It bothers me a great deal because I want to make my country proud. I want to fight for everything, but unfortunately, during some of the Afcon qualifiers I wasn't called up. I cannot blame myself that much. I only played one or two matches, like the final qualifying match against Burkina Faso. There is nothing much I can do also, it's not a nice feeling. I just wanna do my best whenever given the opportunity. You never know… anything can happen, you could score a few goals there and qualify if you get a full chance. But we will always give our best to help the country qualify one day.
TK: Neither have you won the regional COSAFA Cup tournament…
JF: We have been working very hard in the COSAFA Cup but have unfortunately been unsuccessful. I was not called up for the last COSAFA Cup and I don't know what happened there. However, I'm looking forward to the upcoming COSAFA Cup tournament and if the selectors include me in the team, I promise to do my best like I have always done in the past. We all want to win at the end of the day. We just need to push a little harder and who knows, maybe we could also win the COSAFA Cup and create a record because anything is possible in life.
TK: Your fellow national team member, Mxolisi Mkhonto, was reported to be on his way to Royal AM. Has he called you and briefed you about developments around his proposed transfer from Green Mambas?
JF: Me and Mxolisi are in the national team and recently when we went to Morocco to play Burkina Faso, I managed to ask him what was going on with him at Royal AM. He said he didn't know much and didn't really want to go into details, claiming something about work permits and stuff. There were reports that Royal AM have been banned by FIFA from registering new players due to a stalemate with former player Samir Nurkovic. However, with the player joining TS Galaxy, there are developments that Galaxy are working with Nurkovic and Royal AM to resolve the dispute. Personally, I would love to see him play there. He is a top-class player and he deserves the chance. He has proven himself and I believe he can add value to Royal AM. I hope everything goes well for him and he makes it.
TK: How do you view Sihlangu Semnikati's 2026 World Cup qualifier group composed of Angola, Cameroon, Libya and Capo Verde?
JF: It's going to be war because let's face it, everybody wants to go to the World Cup. Cameroon, Angola, Libya, those are top-class nations. But we fear no one. We will go there and play our own game. It's a good experience to play these countries because most of their players play in Europe. It will be tough, no doubt, but it will also be a tough test for everybody to see how strong you are mentally. You go there and fight for everything. Cameroon, in particular when you play them in Yaoundé or Douala, it's a different atmosphere with a packed stadium that can be intimidating. But it is a great feeling to play those type of games. Naturally, we will push and give 110% in training and prepare adequately.
TK: How much of a burden is it playing your home games away from home due to the unavailability of Somhlolo?
JF: It's not a nice feeling to play our home games away because it's like we are not giving Swazis a chance to watch us play. You know when playing at home, the home fans give you that extra push, that fuel to keep going. Now you play in Soweto or Mbombela in the neighbouring country, which is far from home, and some people cannot travel to Mbombela. It's not a nice feeling to play away, but they are advanced in fixing the national stadium and very soon we will be able to play at Somhlolo. That will be great, our fans will be able to come and support us. It's going to be great playing at home after such a long time. We just have to be patient for renovations to be completed.
TK: Thank you very much, Justice,
and best of luck!
JF: You are most welcome.
On His Favourite Player
"Personally my favourite player is Rushine De Reuck of Mamelodi Sundowns. I like his mentality. He is very strong mentally and he is a rock at the back. He fights for everything and doesn't give up no matter the scoreline at any given time. He will die in the field, a true soldier. Having a player like that who is prepared to give his life for the cause, a player that will do whatever it takes to prevent goals from going in, is a rare trait. It's truly rare to find that type of player. I class him as a modern defender. I played with him at Maritzburg United, where I got to look at him closely. He is the type of person that fights and goes to war in every game."
JUSTICE FIGUAREIDO FACT FILE
Full name: Justice Johnpaul Figuareido
Date of birth: 28 July 1998
Place of birth: Eswatini
Nickname: Majasto
Position: Winger-cum-striker
Jersey number: 23
Club: Richards Bay FC
Previous clubs: Manzini Sundowns (Eswatini), Maritzburg United, Mbombela United, TS Galaxy, All Stars
Honours: 13 Eswatini national team caps
