Manqoba Mngqithi slams Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos for overloading seriously injured Mamelodi Sundowns star Themba Zwane - 'These things start from respect'

Mamelodi Sundowns attacking midfielder Themba Zwane was injured during Bafana Bafana's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville on Tuesday.

It was a match the Masandawana skipper lasted 40 minutes, having also played the entire match when South Africa hosted the same opponents four days earlier.

Mngqithi feels Bafana coach Hugo Broos overloaded his players, in what is another attack on the Belgian whom he reprimanded regarding Teboho Mokoena.

“I think these things start from respect,” Mngqithi told the media.

“If we respect one another in life, we will always communicate better because in one way or another other I think we all need each other.

“It’s sad when you lose some of your players that you were trying the best you can to save.

“I know this player for him to recover after a match would not be the same as a younger player like [Siyabonga] Mabena," added the former Golden Arrows coach.

“To see a player like Themba playing 90 minutes in the first match and still starting the second match, already for me, those were alarm bells.

“I think we could have dealt with this thing better as the two coaches. I do want to give him a call so that I talk to him directly," he continued.

“I don’t like to talk about someone, I prefer to talk to somebody.” 

In the last two seasons, Zwane rarely last 90 minutes for Sundowns as the coaches try to protect him from fatigue and injuries due to their many fixtures on the domestic and continental front.

This term, the 35-year-old has never played an entire match in the five games he has featured in different competitions.

He was even an unused substitute in two Caf Champions League games against Mbabane Swallows as Mngqithi tried to preserve his skipper.

It is not yet known when Zwane will be back from injury but a sports physician Dr. Ntlopi Mogoru has predicted a longer spell on the sidelines due to the midfielder's age.

With Sundowns starting their demanding Champions League group games at the end of November, they would need him back as soon as possible.