Orlando Pirates starlet Mbekezeli Mbokazi accused of age cheating after a brilliant start to first-team football.
This past Sunday, the 19-year-old was tasked with man-marking Mamelodi Sundowns star Lucas Ribeiro Costa, who has been terrorising defenders for fun in the league this season.
Mbokazi walked out of the match with a man of the match award his second in the four games he has played for the first team this season.
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However, his performances have left many questioning whether he is at the age Pirates and himself say he is at and given Pirates’ history with age-cheating scandals, the youngster was the talk of the town on X yesterday.
Here are some of the posts on X questioning his age:
• “Allegedly, his real name and age are Sbonelo Fanyana Mbokazi (and) he’s 23 years old,” Mpho Alex’s post read.
• “We also have a new problem here in the South of Africa. @Leon_Schreib, here is a project for you. You proved Your effectiveness with Chidima. Don’t fail us,” Bra J Msibi posted on X.
“Mbekezeli Mbokazi can’t be 19 years – check birth certificates at Home Affairs.”
• “So, if this picture was taken in 2021 when he was 18 years of age, how is he still 19 in 2025?,” Sizwe SaKithi posted.
However, despite all of these posts, Mbokazi is indeed 19, and his rise through the development structures in the country suggests that.
He has represented South Africa in major junior tournaments and is in line to do so again thus year, and if he indeed cheated, he would have been caught by now.
Meanwhile, Mbokazi is set to pen to paper on a four-year deal at the club that will see him stay until the end of June 2029.