Kaizer Chiefs, defender Rushwin Dortley has described the past six months of his career as nothing short of amazing.
He went from enduring 19 defeats, five draws, and just six victories with Cape Town Spurs during their debut Premier Soccer League season before being relegated back to the Motsepe Foundation Championships to being signed by one of the country’s top teams.
Dortley, a product of Ajax Cape Town Academy, joined Chiefs at the start of the 2024/25 season. His standout performances during the 2023/24 campaign with Spurs earned him a spot in the South African squad for the COSAFA Cup.
He made his Bafana Bafana debut on 6 September when they hosted Uganda in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match which ended in a 2-2 draw. Since then, he has cemented his place in Hugo Broos’ set-up and has played six matches.
“The past few months in my life have been amazing, I still feel like I’m dreaming. It’s been amazing, I can only thank God for blessing my life and giving me the opportunity after being relegated with Cape Town Spurs,” Dortley told the media on Monday.
“Giving my footballing career another opportunity at the biggest club in the country and going to Bafana Bafana and playing, it’s amazing, it’s a dream come through. You’ve always watched them on TV, dreaming of playing there and eventually, I got a chance to play there, game after game which is an honour for me to represent my country.
The 22-year-old’s excitement was unmistakable as he had the opportunity to showcase his football skills in front of his loved ones.
He was part of the starting line-up when South Africa faced South Sudan in their final AFCON qualifiers match on November 19, which ended in a 3-0 victory for the home team.
“The last game was playing in Cape Town in front of my family and friends, where it all started, and it’s been a real honour for me and a blessing, but I can only go upwards from here and progress and go forward in my footballing career,”
Amakhosi started their league campaign on a good note winning their two opening matches but things took a wrong turn when they suffered back-to-back losses and closed off with a 2-2 draw against Magesi FC before the start of the international break.
They will resume their league campaign by hosting Richards Bay FC on Wednesday, this is a must-win match for them to remain in the top half of the log. They will also be heading to this match with revenge on their minds having suffered a 1-0 loss in their last meeting.