Kaizer Chiefs defender Rushwin Dortley is experiencing a dream come true as he prepares to represent South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, in front of his family and friends at the Cape Town Stadium. The 22-year-old centre-back, who hails from Belhar in Cape Town, has had a remarkable year, joining Chiefs from Cape Town Spurs in July and quickly making a name for himself at the club.

Now, with Bafana already qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Dortley is relishing the chance to play in his hometown when the team faces South Sudan in their final Afcon qualifier on Tuesday.

“For me, it feels good to be back home, playing in front of my family,” Dortley shared. “It’s been a dream to represent the national team in front of them, though I always thought it would be with the Under-23s. To be playing for Bafana in Cape Town, where it all started for me, is an incredible feeling.”

The young defender sees his call-up to the senior national team as a reward for his relentless work ethic, and he is determined to maintain the consistency that has earned him his spot. “This is the result of hard work paying off,” he said. “I just want to keep doing what I’ve been doing to stay in the team.”

Dortley credits much of his rapid development to the guidance of both his club coach, Nasreddine Nabi, and Bafana’s head coach, Hugo Broos. “The style of play that Nabi instills at Chiefs is what suits me best, and coach Broos’ approach is very similar, which made it easy for me to adapt to the national team,” Dortley explained.

As he heads into the match against South Sudan, the young defender is excited about playing in front of his supporters and is eager to continue making strides in his football career.