Lists
10 Things You Don’t Know About Tefu Mashamaite
Tefu Mashamamite is a great central defender who has played both internationally and nationally. The 2014/15 PSL player of the season is back in South Africa and plays for Supersport United. These are 10 things you don’t know about Mashamaite.
- He has two sons Phetolo Nkosana (born 2010) and Tefu Kgosi (born 2016) He got his BA in International Relations and Politics at Wits University in 2005 before joining Wits.
- Mashamaite grew up in rural Bochum about 90 km north-west of Polokwane. Mashamaite was born as his mother’s only child, he only met his father when he was 10 years old. He saw him six times before he died in 2010.
- Mashamaite started playing soccer in 1999 for Dipitsi in Bochum and playing as a defender wearing number 5.
- Mashamaite joined Bidvest Wits when he was on the verge of joining the South African National Defence Force in 2005 after signing an apprentice contract and being promoted by then youth coach, Boebie Solomons after he had been at the development structures for two years.
- Mashamaite joined Chiefs in July 2011 from Wits to replace the outgoing Valery Nahayo who left for KAA Gent in Belgium. Mashamaite made his official Chiefs debut in a 2–0 win at Moroka Swallows on 17 August 2011.
- Mashamaite was a big winner at the PSL Awards on 17 May 2015, winning Footballer of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Absa Premiership Defender of the Season in Sandton pocketing R450 000 for his individual contribution towards winning the league and the MTN8.
- Mashamaite went for trials in June 2015 on a 10-day trial at New York City with the likes of Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo. He later attracted interest from Anorthosis Famagusta and Danish giants Brondby but eventually signed with BK Hacken on 5 August 2015.
- In 2016 Tefu returns to South African football by joining the side managed by his former coach, Stuart Baxter.
- In the FIFA 15 video game, Mashamaite is ranked 4,380th which is the top half of all the players in the game.
- Mashamaite was given his first national call-up by Pitso Mosimane in 2010. He made his debut on 2 June 2013 in a 2–0 over Lesotho. Mashamaite was part of South Africa’s 2014 CHAN squad and he only played one match against Nigeria.
