Grant Kekana is still celebrating the recent Afcon Qualifier match victory between South Africa and Morocco. 

Bafana Bafana beat the star-studded Moroccan team two goals to one, making it a game to remember for the packed FNB stadium and football fans across the country.

The defender is slowly but surely increasing his caps as a formidable team player, as this was the second opportunity for him to play for his country.
“Our spirit was high and we were excited to face the challenge with a lot of quality players. It’s a nice feeling for me because when I started this football journey there was a lot I wanted to achieve and one of them was playing for my country. I always said my dream will be done the day I get my first cap and now I couldn’t be happier.”

The Mamelodi Sundowns player started embracing football at an early age, watching and playing in the streets of Limpopo with his brothers and uncles.
“I always wanted to take part in it and I have not looked back since. It has been a good journey with a lot of challenges but I am enjoying every second of it and learning a lot. I just want to keep going.”

While he doesn’t particularly like to wake up early in the morning everyday for training, he knows that staying in bed won’t put food on the table and because he just loves what he is able to do.
He started his career at the Tuks Football Academy at the tender age of 16.

“All my life I’ve just wanted to do something that makes me happy and that has always been football. Being at the academy gave me a balance of education and playing the sports that I love. I tried to excel at both school and football and fortunately football won at the end of the day.”

As a celebrated defender of a club that has achieved many accolades, Grant has many highlights to share including being a part of the team that won the treble – the Nedbank Cup, the MTN 8 trophy and the DSTV Premiership. (Mamelodi Sundowns had a great season but bowed out of the CAF Champions league after a 2-2 draw with Wydad Athletic Club at Loftus stadium).
“My first season winning the treble while playing for a big club and contributing as much as I did. That was a major highlight. Before I joined there were a lot of sceptics but I understood my purpose.”

He was nominated for Defender of the Season last year, an acknowledgement he appreciates.
“It was a good feeling to be nominated because it was an appreciation of the work that was put in. It felt really good to have contributed to all the trophies we won and to be nominated. Ultimately it is a team sport, we don’t play for individual awards, to be recognised was a win for me.”

Playing for such a formidable team comes with its own pressures and winning games is one of them.
“At Sundowns there’s pressure to win because it is such a big team. We play every game to win so the pressure is always there but you know coal under pressure creates diamonds.”

It is the calibre of players he mingles with that also keeps him motivated to keep at it.
“The dressing room at Sundowns is intimidating but it is also a warm and loving change room full of jokes and jokesters. We know once we get on the field it is business. The team is a supportive bunch of brothers that I appreciate and I am grateful to be part of.”

He prepares for games by focusing his mental awareness, visualising before play and understanding that he may come across challenges.
“It’s important to motivate yourself always and tell yourself that you will overcome those challenges.”

That mental awareness is also something that sees him through platforms like social media which can also affect people and their careers.
“I think if you take social media too seriously, especially the negative side of it, it will impact you negatively. We have seen our fellow peers in the industry struggle with things like depression and all sorts of things. For me, it is a matter of understanding your purpose and knowing yourself. People will always have an opinion but your purpose comes before anyone’s opinion.”

As he prepares for the coming season, Grant says fans can expect ‘more of the same winning approach with a lot of improvements’.
“As much as we won the big fish in the country and continent that’s still something we will be working towards especially now in the pre-season. There is a lot more to play for. I want to keep improving and elevating.”

When asked what is great football, he without hesitation says it #RulaniBall and I couldn’t agree more.

Grant describes his upbringing as a privileged one where he received utmost love and care from his family.
“They have always wanted me to be happy and to succeed. They have always supported me in everything I wanted to do. I am here today because of them, I am the man I am because of them.”

He describes his relationship with his sister, Ipeleng, as a blessing. He plays the big brother/father figure role in her life and is able to guide her.
“I am the type of person who always wants the best for the next person. It has been a bit tricky because of the distance – she is in the Western Cape and I am in Gauteng – but we always stay in touch and make time for each other.”

Grant’s favourite role is that of being a father to his six-year-old son Tsitsi.
“When he was about to be born it was a time where I was nearing the end of my contract at Supersport United and I was also injured at the time. His arrival came with my healing from injury and I started playing again and I got another contract. He has definitely made me see life from a different perspective and taught me responsibility, patience and to always just be there. I grew up without a proper father figure so I want to be there for him all the time and do better than what I received.”

Grant is making sure that his son dreams big and reaches for the stars.
“He must go for his dreams and I will support them and guide him where I can. I will always make sure he is able to express himself and he doesn’t hold back because his happiness must come first. He must always remember I have his back.”

Grant describes himself as a funny, loving and caring gent who always puts family first. He is also rather shy and introverted but when he is around the people he is comfortable with he is able to express himself more.

Being away from his family during the busy football season can take its toll.
“We spend so much time away from our families because of the travelling but they learn to appreciate and understand this is what we have to do. Any time I have off, I make sure to spend the time with them.”
You will most likely find him sprawled on the bed, enjoying his sleep or spending time with his son watching movies, playing games on his iPad and having proper lazy days to recover his body.

If Grant was not a football player, he reckons he would be involved in either music or politics.Some of his favourite PSL players include me – Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba and Sipho Mbule. These are players he says he is privileged to be able to play alongside. Internationally, he aspires to the likes of Spanish player Sergio Ramos and Portugal’s Rúben Dias.

CREDITS:

Cover star: Grant Kekana

Cover story: Teboho Mokoena

Editor-in-Chief & Producer: @BonnieMeslane

Photographer: @AustinMalema of @_RTCStudios 

Creative Direction: Lesego Kgosimolao & Bonnie Meslane

Wardrobe styling: @advicebykgosilesego 

Styling team: @bokangbatloung @iseng @mrsuave_dastylista 

Makeup: @CarolineGreeff & @Tumimbangi

Hair: @laid_by_lolo 

Photography Team from @_RTCstudios: Henry King  Digitech

Nkateko Masinga Lighting Director

Tyrone Jhns Retoucher 

Khotso Tsaagane Assistant

Tshepo Zitha Assistant

Production Assistant: @TumiMbangi

Studio: @NewKatzstudio