By Falakhe Khoza

At 21, Alwande Sphephelo Mngwengwe, known as ‘Jub’ rose from his rural roots in the Valley of a Thousand Hills to captain of Sekhukhune United in the DStv Diski Challenge. His journey from KwaXimba to a top 10 club in the Betway Premiership mirrors the dreams of thousands of young footballers. But while some make the climb to top clubs, many do so without ever earning a captain’s armband. Jub earned his after just nine games.

Leadership came naturally to Mngwengwe, even from the demanding position of defensive midfielder.

Jub grew up in KwaXimba, a semi-rural area and traditional Zulu settlement in the west of eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. It is situated between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. He started playing at a young age with Mountain Swallows FC, his boyhood club.

This is where Coach Siphumelele Benjamin Hlengwa discovered Mngwengwe’s talents. Mountain Swallows is one of the most promising teams in his town thanks to the excellent coaching of Coach Benjamin Hlengwa, who holds a C&D licence from the SA Football Association.

Coach Benjamin started coaching Jub when he was just ten years old. Coach Benjamin, who was also a footballer was known for his exceptional dribbling skills and speed in his prime.

“My first impression of him was that I noticed his dribbling and having a special technique to shoot from long distances.” He described Mngwengwe as a “convertible player” who can play different types of positions.

“When I promoted him to the first team, he played as a striker … his strengths were his ability to take on players aggressively, long-range shooting and using both feet very well.”

According to Coach Benjamin, it takes more than just talent to make it. He said most players who ‘make it’ in football are the ones who work hard, respect training, and have passion.

He described Mngwengwe as a “humble and respectful human being who doesn’t fall for the wrong crowds that are involved in drugs and other substances”.

Although he is a near-perfect player, “Alwande tends to keep quiet on the field,” says Coach Benjamin.

Jub tried his luck with other clubs far from home but his dream did not come quickly or easily.

“I played for Brazil Sport Academy for several years, but saw no reason to stay. So I left, returning to play football for fun in my hometown – as if I was giving up on the dream,” he says.

His big break came while he was playing the SALGA Games in eThekwini in 2024.

Tournaments like these regularly draw scouts from big clubs searching for fresh talent. So as a footballer, Jub knew he had to bring his A-Game to stand a chance of getting spotted. His gamble paid off.

“I played very well, which led to being scouted. We talked things through, and I was signed to the club [Sekhukhune United DDC],” he says.

But chasing that dream came at a cost. While his friends were building careers and settling into life after school, Jub woke up before sunrise for training sessions, travelled long distances for matches and lived with the daily uncertainty of a footballer’s life.

There was no guaranteed salary. No safety net. Just the ball, belief and hope that someone, somewhere, would notice his talent.

“I couldn’t believe that this was me from a rural area representing one of the biggest clubs in the Betway Premiership DDC,” he said.

On his debut on 10 November 2023, Sekhukune thrashed Golden Arrows FC 4-2. Jub unleashed a long-range strike into the net tp secure their win.

Another key career moment came during the next year as he played for Sekhukune United Reserves in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC).

The DDC is the Premier Soccer League’s official reserve league. It aims to develop young players and direct them to the higher level of football. Since its launch in 2014, it has produced over 300 players for PSL first teams.

“I scored my first goal against Moroka Swallows,” he recalls. Sekhukune trumped Swallows by 6-2 with a goal by Jub in the 36th minute .

That moment showed the world his long-distance shooting ability, a trademark of his game.

Captain ‘Jub’ Rises

He secured the captain’s armband after playing just nine games with the team during the 2024/25 season. As the younger brother of the late Lamontville Golden Arrows captain, Nkanyiso Mngwengwe, the promotion was a dream come true for Jub.

“It was something like a miracle,” he continues.

Jub was then placed on loan to Umkhambathi Football Club as well as being a first-team player for Sekhukhune United. Umkhambathi Football Club or the Rural Boys, as they are known is based near his hometown and was established in 2021.

Umkhambathi won the KZN ABC Motsepe League championship in June this year.

Mngwengwe was part of the squad that bagged the trophy and played in the national playoffs in the Eastern Cape.

“What I wished for came to life: winning the league with them and getting promoted to the Motsepe Championship,” he says.

The playoffs took place in Mthatha from 1 to 7 June 2026. Unfortunately, Umkhambathi Football Club fell to North-West University Soccer Institute (NWU) in the semi-final on June 6, 2026. They lost by 2-1 in this intense match.

Alwandle has left Sekhukhune United after his loan expired with Umkhambathi. He is now with Kruger United DDC’s reserve side for the 2026/27 season. He is now aiming to get game time in the first team.

“My next goal is to play regularly in the Betway Premiership”.

“Work hard and do not mix football with too many things, because it can make you rich without even having to go to school,” is Mngwengwe’s advice to aspiring diski players.

The armband is gone, but the dream lives on.

This article was syndicated from Khulani Youth Stories.