Lepasa grateful for TotalEnergies CAF CHAN lifeline

For Zakhele Lepasa, football has come full circle in a way he likely never imagined. The 27-year-old forward, recently listed as unattached after parting ways with Orlando Pirates, has been handed a lifeline in the form of a TotalEnergies CAF CHAN national team call-up.

Included in coach Molefi Ntseki's 23-man squad announced by Bafana Bafana’s local-based setup, Lepasa finds himself at a pivotal point in his career.

“You know what’s crazy about CHAN? A lot of us players, when we play and we are regulars in our team, we tend to take CHAN and an opportunity like that for granted,” Lepasa said honestly.

“Until a situation like this comes, where you haven’t played for a while, and you understand how important it is.”

The former Pirates striker, who didn’t travel with the Soweto giants to Spain for pre-season and whose status was publicly noted as unattached when the CHAN squad was confirmed, is using this opportunity as a chance to reignite his career and reset mentally.

“Now it is as important as going to play in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, or go play in AFCON,” he added.

 “So I’m yet to think about it to be honest, but I’m definitely happy. But for me it’s not just about being happy, it’s about seeing myself playing again, training well and playing again, and feel like myself again. So that’s one thing I’m looking forward to.”

Lepasa’s return to the national setup arrives during a transitional phase, not just in his club career but in South African football as a whole.

His comments shine a light on the deeper value of CHAN.

His candour underscores how quickly things can shift in football. Once a consistent name on the Bucs’ team sheet and a scorer in key fixtures, he now finds himself in the fight to rediscover rhythm, confidence, and relevance.

While Lepasa’s future at club level remains uncertain, his inclusion in the CHAN squad could serve as a crucial launchpad, not just to get minutes in the tank, but to remind South Africa, and perhaps the world, of the quality he still possesses.