Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, despite receiving regular call-ups to various preliminary Bafana Bafana squads, has yet to make his mark on the national team.
Recently, he was omitted from the South Africa squad coached by Helman Mkhalele for the COSAFA Cup, not due to performance issues. Players from Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Orlando Pirates are not participating in the tournament.
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Former Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe, in an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, expressed his belief that Bvuma still has a significant role to play for Bafana Bafana and should have been included in the final COSAFA Cup squad.
"Bvuma deserves to be in the COSAFA Cup tournament squad. He played very well last season though the team didn't perform very well. There was a time when he kept six clean sheets in a row and that shows that you are a good goalkeeper. So if the coaches are looking for continuity they should also look at goalkeepers like Bvuma. But maybe they have their reasons. Maybe he is meant for the senior Bafana Bafana squad and not the COSAFA Cup squad," Shongwe told Soccer Laduma.
Shongwe also advised Bvuma on how to leverage his recent performances to secure a more permanent spot in the national team.
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"If he can continue from where he left off last season at that club level then he has more chances of improving on his game and making it into the Bafana Bafana squad. There are still many games that the national team will play this year and that gives him the chance to be selected if he does well for the team first. So it should start at the club then the national team will be much easier," Shongwe added.
Looking ahead, Bvuma faces the challenge of securing number the one spot at Chiefs under the new technical team, competing against other goalkeepers such as Brandon Petersen and then most probably a newly signed keeper.
With strong performances at club level and the support of former professionals like Shongwe, Bvuma remains a promising candidate for future inclusion in more prominent national team roles. Having competed with the likes of Itumeleng Khune for a spot at Amakhosi over the years, his situation underscores the importance of resilience and consistency in the pursuit of sporting excellence.
