Kaizer Chiefs are expected to confirm the arrival of 27-year-old Bafana winger Elias Mokwana, prompting fresh debate over where the former Sekhukhune player would fit in their starting XI.
With a fully fit squad, one possible line-up would be:
Petersen; Moloisane, Miguel, Dortley; Monyane, Maboe, Ndlovu, Mokwana; Shabalala, Vilakazi; Mayo.
Mokwana joined Saudi Pro League club Al Hazem on loan from Esperance in August 2025. During the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League season, he made 24 appearances, scoring once and providing three assists.
Those figures represent a modest direct contribution in terms of goals and assists. His disciplinary record is another concern, with Mokwana receiving six yellow cards in those 24 matches – an average of one booking every four games.
That is an issue Kaizer Chiefs will need to address if they are to get the best from the winger. Mokwana’s discipline may be particularly important as he attempts to re-establish himself in South Africa and meet the expectations that accompany his return.
His previous spell with Sekhukhune suggested he was capable of producing more. In the 2023-24 campaign, Mokwana attracted attention with four goals and four assists in 25 league appearances for Babina Noko.
The potential signing comes at a difficult point in Kaizer Chiefs’ season. They are already 12 points behind leaders Sundowns after only nine matches, leaving questions over whether the players available to Da Cruz are not good enough or whether the manager is not extracting the maximum from a talented young squad.
The Glamour Boys also exited the MTN8 in the quarter-finals after losing to Golden Arrows. Their upcoming Carling Knockout meeting with Siwelele therefore carries added importance.
Mokwana’s return could offer Kaizer Chiefs another option in the attacking set-up, but his Saudi Pro League numbers show that he will need to rediscover the form that made him stand out in 2023-24.
The key question is whether he can settle back into South African football and reproduce the performances that first brought him to the attention of the country.
