Bolobedu-born Oupa Maehetja made a promising start to life at his new NFD side, North West University, making his debut against Upington City on Saturday.
By: Refilwe Sebola
Bolobedu-born striker Oupa Maehetja has made a promising start to his new chapter after making his debut for North West University following a prolific season with Mphehli All Stars.
The 19-year-old forward from Block 18 in Bolobedu spent one season with the Roodepoort-based side, where he enjoyed a remarkable goalscoring campaign, finding the net more than 40 times.
Maehetja also impressed in the Pirates Cup Under-21 tournament this year, scoring four goals and further demonstrating his potential as a natural goalscorer.
His move to Mphehli All Stars was facilitated by football development specialist Tshepo Sebopetsa, who is recognised for providing promising young players with opportunities to showcase their talent at a higher level.
Maehetja previously represented Thlothlokwe Golden Syrup in Bolobedu during the club’s one-season campaign in the ABC Motsepe League. His performances helped secure his move to Johannesburg, where he continued his development and attracted the attention of North West University.
The young striker has since joined the university side and made his debut, being substituted in the second half after delivering an encouraging performance.
Although he did not complete the match, Maehetja displayed sufficient quality to suggest that he could become an important player for North West University as the season progresses.
His journey serves as another reminder of the wealth of talent emerging from Bolobedu, with Maehetja now focused on taking the next step in his development at university level.
At just 19 years old, and having scored more than 40 goals during his spell with Mphehli All Stars, the Block 18-born striker is certainly a player to watch.