Soccer star – Katlego Mphela – in court for girlfriend’s assault and common robbery
He has played 53 games in the national jersey, scoring 23 goals.
Soccer star and former Bafana Bafana player, Katlego Mphela, briefly appeared in the Middelburg Magistrates Court today on charges of assault and common robbery.
Captain Khanyesile Zwane confirmed that he was summonsed to court for allegedly beating up his girlfriend and stealing her cell phone during lockdown. According to his Wikipedia profile page, Mphela, a product of Jomo Cosmos, played in France for RC Strasbourg and Stade Reims, and after returning home, turned out for Supersport United for the 2007/2008 season before joining Mamelodi Sundowns the following season.
He finished the 2009/2010 season with 17 goals in 30 games which made him the league’s top goal scorer. He won the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot and was voted PSL Players’ Player for the season. Mphela joined Kaizer Chiefs in 2014. Mphela scored a brace on his international debut against Seychelles in February 2005. He has played 53 games in the national jersey, scoring 23 goals.
He scored South Africa’s only goal in the 3 – 1 defeat against Tunisia in the 2008 African Nations Cup. Mphela’s greatest moment came in the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup third-place playoff against Spain. Coming in as a substitute, Mphela, produced arguably the goal of the tournament with a free kick from 30 yards, sending the game into extra time. Mphela was included in South Africa’s 23-man final squad for the 2010 World Cup.
He played in the inaugural match against Mexico, which ended 1–1. Next, the Bafana Bafana played against Uruguay but they lost the game 3–0. In their final group game, he scored the 2nd goal in a 2–1 win against France as South Africa exited the competition. Mphela opened the scoring in South Africa’s first international match following the 2010 World Cup putting South Africa up 1–0 against Ghana.
Mphela scored the winner for South Africa against Egypt in the 93rd minute with a perfect finish, that saw the North Africans beaten by South Africa for the first time in competitive football between the two countries, and increased the hopes of qualification. Mphela also participated in the 2013 Africa Nations Cup tournament. He announced his retirement from professional soccer last year.
Captain Zwane says the matter was enrolled at court during lockdown, with the docket remaining there. She could no provide Mphela’s follow up court date before publication.
