Mamelodi Sundowns have already experienced life without Themba Zwane to a large extent, but club legend Teko Modise believes they still need to answer one important question: who eventually replaces him?
Zwane’s influence at Sundowns has diminished over the past two seasons, with injuries and workload management restricting his appearances.
The numbers underline that decline. After scoring 11 goals in 25 Betway Premiership appearances in the 2019/20 season and following that with 10 goals in 25 matches the next campaign, Zwane’s league output has steadily dropped. He managed seven goals in 25 appearances in 2021/22 before registering three in 23 games the following season and four in 18 appearances in 2023/24.
Over the past two campaigns, his involvement has been even more limited, with one league goal in seven appearances in 2024/25 and another in 15 matches last season.
Yet, those numbers only tell part of the story of a player who was arguably the most influential midfielder in South African football during his peak.
Modise believes that is precisely why Sundowns cannot afford to wait until Zwane’s career is over before identifying his successor.
Speaking on the latest edition of the CarWash Podcast, the former Sundowns midfielder stressed that the club needs to prepare for that transition while Zwane is still part of the environment.
"You can’t wait for Themba Zwane to retire and then say we need to find a replacement," Modise said. "You need to find a replacement right now; we need to be able to play Mamelodi Sundowns without (him) and still be able to survive."
For Modise, however, succession planning does not mean simply replacing older players with younger ones. He believes experienced players remain important in helping youngsters develop, particularly at a club where expectations are consistently high.
"You need to have senior players within the team who are able to carry and help the youngsters to develop, because it was important when we were young," Modise said. "You need those experienced players who also understand that there’s a role I play on the field in helping the player to become better technically and tactically."
With Miguel Cardoso continuing to reshape the Sundowns squad and younger players being afforded greater opportunities, the club’s next challenge is finding the right balance between succession and experience.
Zwane may no longer be the player who carried Sundowns through entire seasons, but his legacy means his eventual replacement will have an enormous standard to live up to.