Thulani Hlatshwayo


Thulani Hlatswayo is a South African professional footballer, who plays for and captains both Bidvest Wits and the South African national team as a defender.

Career

Ajax Cape Town

Hlatshwayo was born in Soweto, Gauteng. He made his professional debut for Ajax on 5 August 2009 in a 2–1 win against Orlando Pirates, in a quarter-final match of the 2009 MTN 8 tournament at the Coca Cola Park in Johannesburg. He was promoted from the club's youth academy ranks after years of good showing for both the club and the country's national youth teams.

Bidvest Wits

In the early months of 2014 it was announced that 'Tyson' as he is efficiently known has signed a pre-contract with Bidvest Wits. By doing so Hlatshwayo ended speculations that he was heading to Orlando Pirates. He joined the Johannesburg-based club in June. He has since been a force to be reckoned alongside another former Ajax CT player in Thato Mokeke. He started in Bidvest's opening league game against SuperSport United.

International career

Youth teams

Hlatswayo has played for both the South Africa national under-17 and under-20 teams. He was also a member of the South African U-20 team that played in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which lost to Ghana in a 2–1 defeat, losing to the eventual champions in the Round of 16 of the tournament.

Senior team

Hlatswayo was included in South Africa's squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and scored an own goal in the team's opening match as they lost 3–1 to Algeria. On 13 October 2018, he was one of South Africa's goalscorers as the nation recorded its largest ever victory with a 6–0 win over Seychelles in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Career statistics

International

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 January 2015Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville1–03–0Friendly
2.25 March 2015Somhlolo National Stadium, Lobamba1–03–1Friendly
12 November 2016Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa1–02–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.13 October 2018FNB Stadium, Johannesburg2–06–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Club

Ajax Cape Town