When asked to name the toughest defender he’s faced, Mabasa pointed to former Orlando Pirates teammate and Bafana Bafana star Mbekezeli Mbokazi.
“It has to be Mbokazi,” he said. “He is strong, always anticipates your next move as an attacker, and he hardly gets it wrong, plus he is very quick.”
Mabasa is just as excited about the next generation coming through South African football, and pointed to two young stars he rates highly.
“There are a few of them, honestly. If I were to choose, it would be Boitumelo Radiopane and Relebohile Mofokeng, definitely ones for the present and future of SA football.”
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His own story remains closely tied to Orlando Pirates, the club he supported long before he played for it. He also reflected on being agonisingly close to breaking the club’s all-time scoring record.
“It was a dream come true to play for a club that had so many players you looked up to,” Mabasa said. “It means a lot to me with what I managed to achieve individually, but on the other hand I still think collectively as a team we should’ve achieved more in terms of silverware.”
“I still feel a lot of pride, because in the history of the club I am one of two players who have managed to score 50 goals. It makes it even better when it’s a club I grew up supporting.”
His penalty for Stellenbosch against Mamelodi Sundowns, which helped deny the champions the title and cleared the way for Pirates to end their 14-year wait for the league, remains a source of real satisfaction too.
“I felt very happy because I was part of the team that broke the league drought, and it meant I played my part in making that possible.”
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Pulling on the Bafana Bafana shirt for the first time meant just as much to him. He also mentioned his desire to play under newly appointed national team coach, Pitso Mosimane.
“It was another dream come true moment for me in my career, because every footballer dreams of representing their country, and it was no different in my case.”
“There are a few coaches I’d love to play for, locally and abroad, but if I were to choose, it would be Coach Pitso.”
Mabasa has had to prove himself afresh more than once during loan spells away from Pirates, and says the mental side of those moves matters as much as the football.
“I think you have to be very resilient and understand that a loan move doesn’t define you as a player. Even with that being said, you have a job to do, and that is to perform when given the opportunity to play.”
One of the biggest influences on his game has been Rulani Mokwena, the former Sundowns boss who coached him during his time at Orlando Pirates, and whose insistence on developing his weaker foot helped elevate Mabasa’s game.
“Coach Rulani told me I don’t like to shoot with my right foot. In training sessions he would tell me I can only shoot with my right in training drills, and that helped me a lot in my game.”
Since completing his move to Morocco, Mabasa has had to adjust to a new level of football entirely.
“The standard in MAS is very high and very technical, so it requires you to always think critically. The competition is very strong because you find players that have played in big leagues around the world, and that challenges you as a player as well.”
“So far I haven’t had any challenges yet. I’ve been adapting quite well, and the reception I have received since I’ve been here has been great. I love it here.”
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That easy adjustment carries over into his relationship with sponsors Under Armour too. Mabasa’s shift was a straightforward one for him.
“It was a no-brainer for me to join Under Armour, as it is one of the brands I first became familiar with when I was young, travelling to the USA. A lot of things aligned between myself and the brand in what we wanted to achieve in the South African football space.”
“Their boots bring a lot of comfort and control to my game, and it just makes it a bit easier on the pitch. The boot doesn’t bring a lot of change to my approach, but it certainly helps with it being light. It gives me the advantage of being lighter on my feet to be able to execute sharp turns when I’m in those scoring positions.”
“During the period after my injury, I had to change the studs that I play in, and the boot provided me with the comfort I needed.”
His time at Orlando Pirates will always be remembered fondly, but Mabasa’s focus now is on Maghreb Fès, where he’ll be looking to help the reigning Botola Pro champions defend their title this season.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
