Ronwen Williams reveals secrets to Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile’s longevity

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has shared what makes his team-mates Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile remain evergreen despite their advanced age.

Zwane, now 36, and 32-year-old Shalulile remain Sundowns’ key players and have been doing it for a long time.

For Zwane, it has been nearly 15 years at Sundowns with 11 PSL titles won, yet he shows no sign of stopping with only injuries slowing him down in recent months.

Meanwhile, Shalulile keeps banging in the goals and is currently the PSL’s all-time top scorer and he has edged ahead of the Iqraam Rayners in the pecking order in recent matches after scoring in three of their last four games.

What makes Themba Zwane stand out?

Williams says the two are ultimate professionals who set a great example to the rest by putting in a lot in training and on their own and they are the first one to arrive at Chloorkop every day.

“Special, amazing and such a good human being,” Williams described Zwane while speaking to the Arena Sports Show.

“He has achieved so much yet he puts himself through too much to achieve more. If people must know the amount of work he does outside of Chloorkop, people would not understand.

“They are always teasing him; ‘hey you run with your soccer boots in the streets there in Thembisa’ but it is the truth.

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“He is always running, he is doing road work, gym, finishing. He is the captain of the team, he has achieved so much,” Williams added of the Sundowns captain.

The Bafana Bafana no.1 then described the kind of work ethic Zwane and Shalulile display which has set them apart from the others and makes them stay at the top.

“First one in, himself and Peter Shalulile and I always tell the players. Look at players like that and take out the good things,” he went on.

What does the future hold for Sundowns captain?

“You see them at their age, coming so early every day. Not a day goes by that you won’t see the two of them in the gym.

“They are there every day, working hard, doing finishing, doing bike, running road works and when you see what they have achieved, then you say it is because of the sacrifice they have made and he [Zwane] is blessed with a special talent as well.”

Zwane, who has been injured since September, is racing against time to be ready for action as he targets a place in coach Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana team to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.