Former Bafana Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena has expressed his admiration for Kaizer Chiefs defender Rushwin Dortley who is enjoying a meteoric rise.
Dortley sealed a move from Cape Town Spurs to Chiefs before the start of this season and was slotted straight away into the team by coach Nasreddine Nabi, starting all nine matches across all competitions this term, and Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos has also made him one of his key players.
The 22-year-old was undroppable for Bafana Bafana in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, when he started all six matches, as South Africa sealed their ticket by finishing top of the group and his performances have not gone unnoticed, earning him high praise from one of the country’s greats in Mokoena.
What does Mokoena make of Dortley?
“It’s a nice progression for the boy from Cape Town. It shows that our development from club level is fantastic,” Mokoena told FARPost.
“I think it shows that he’s growing as a player; he’s on the right path. Now he’s even playing for the national team; it’s so great.
“I hope he will keep growing, work hard and put in consistent performances. He’s a calm someone; you can see from a distance that he’s also a leader.”
Bafana legend praises Spurs’ academy
Dortley honed his skills at Cape Town Spurs, making a big impact when they were promoted to the PSL, and even though they were relegated, he is among the players who covered themselves in glory, earning him the big move to Chiefs.
Mokoena has lauded Spurs’ talent factory for producing great players and feels it is proving beneficial to the national team.
“Cape Town Spurs’ development it’s unbelievable, they spend a lot of energy and resources on the young ones,” he added. “I think they should continue producing such quality, as it will also benefit our national teams from junior levels up to the senior level.”
