‘That’s My Dream’ – Seluleko Mahlambi Reveals Wish For Brother

Phakamani Mahlambi during the 2019/20 League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City

In the heart of Mpumalanga, where dusty pitches tend to dream bigger than circumstances, a new Mahlambi star is rising – and with him, a powerful story of hope, family and second chances.

At just 21 years old, Seluleko Mahlambi has burst onto the Betway Premiership scene with TS Galaxy like a young man determined to write his own chapter, yet never forgetting the one that came before him.

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The Rockets forward has been one of the standout young performers this season. After impressing in the club’s DStv Diski Challenge setup, he has stepped onto the elite stage with confidence – scoring, creating and igniting excitement about his future.

But even as his career ascends, Seluleko’s heart remains tied to someone who once stood in the same spotlight – his older brother, Phakamani Mahlambi.  

A Family Built On Football  

Football isn’t just a sport in the Mahlambi home – it’s a legacy.  

“Almost every boy child at home played football,” Seluleko recalls with a soft smile. “Even our father was a soccer player… he once had an opportunity with Jomo Cosmos, but an injury ended his career before it could even start.”  

The game ran through generations. Their father installed the love of football in his sons from a young age, even owning a local team – first called Fighters, later renamed Big Boys. That is where dreams were nurtured, where Seluleko learned to kick a ball, and where Phakamani first stood out as a prodigy before he became a name known across South Africa.  

The Rise – And The Fall  

Phakamani’s story was once the fairytale. A teenage sensation at Bidvest Wits. A groundbreaking move to African giants Al Ahly. A star in the making at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Bafana Bafana caps. Pace, flair, and fearlessness. But the same spotlight that made him shine eventually revealed the shadows – off-field challenges and alleged disciplinary struggles that derailed his career. A brief training stint with Durban City FC earlier this year offered hope… but nothing materialised.  

At just 28, one of South Africa’s most gifted attackers of his generation has faded from the professional landscape – and for Seluleko, that has been painful to watch.  

“I Want To Play With My Brother In The PSL – That’s My Dream”  

Seluleko doesn’t hide his emotion when speaking about Phakamani.  

“I think you might see him again soon,” he says, his voice filled with faith rather than certainty. “He is around here in Jozi working on getting a club again. Hopefully he will get a team and make a comeback in football.”  

Then he pauses – as if allowing the weight of the next few words to settle.  

“Because that’s what I am wishing for – to play with him one day in the PSL.”  

It is more than a brother’s hope. It is a belief that talent doesn’t disappear… it just needs a hand to rise again.  

A New Beginning, A Second Chance?  

As Seluleko continues to climb with TS Galaxy, his performances have sparked excitement about a new Mahlambi era. But he is refusing to move forward without leaving space for his brother to join him.  

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There’s a dream that still lives in the Mahlambi home. A belief that redemption is possible. That the kid who once dazzled South Africa can find his way back onto the pitch and – perhaps – line up next to his younger brother under floodlights in the Betway Premiership.  

Seluleko is ready for that moment. He just hopes the world hasn’t given up on Phakamani.

Because he hasn’t. 

Photo by Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix 

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