Khanyisa Mayo, a prolific goal scorer in the DStv Premiership, has been making waves in the local football scene. In a recent chat with Box2BoxDiski, he shared insights into his early football development at Chippa United and SuperSport United, as well as his current journey with Cape Town City.

Mayo’s football journey began with a brief stint at Chippa United, where he quickly caught the attention of SuperSport United. Reflecting on his early days, Mayo remarked, “I only played for Chippa for six months and that’s when SuperSport signed me after six months because I was still playing LFA football when I joined Chippa.” He also highlighted the influence of SuperSport United’s development program, emphasizing the impact it had on his career and the opportunities it provided for him and his brother.

“I was scouted through the provincial tournament that was held in Gauteng by Coach Molefi Ntseki and gave me an opportunity to play for the U17 national team and that’s when Super Sport came knocking and they said, no, he’s a national team player but he’s still playing LFA. Why not? You know, but all in all, me and my brother joined Super Sport in the same year and it influenced us in a major way. There are some players that did not get the same development that me and my brother got at SuperSport . Some of the great footballers who have donned the colours from Gqeberha are ( Dane Klate, Kermit Erasmus, Ronwen Williams.”

Joining Cape Town City marked a significant milestone in Mayo’s career. He expressed his gratitude towards the club, stating, “Being part of Cape Town City has been wonderful. They are the only club that really wanted me when I was playing in the Motsepe Foundation which was called NFD back then, and at that moment they made my dream come true and I got the chance to showcase my talent.”

“Being part of City will take me to greater heights.I have a always regarded City as one of the top clubs in the country, because they’ve won trophies and are always competing.”

“I am learning, trying to improve in every game that i play cause i want to be better than my last game.I have taken further steps in my career and I’m glad that, I’m at a club that is ambitious, a club that always wants to win titles, competing with the best in the country.I am playing for a top team that has produced some of the best in the country. We are in the top three currently so that says a lot about the club.”

Mayo also spoke highly of his coach, Eric Tinkler, and the support he has received from the club’s chairman, John Comitis. He emphasized the ambition and competitive spirit of Cape Town City, highlighting the club’s track record of success and its commitment to achieving excellence.

I’ve worked with Coach Eric (Tinkler) back then at SuperSport and having to work with him again, it’s great.Him and the Chairman of the club having faith that I can deleiver on the task given to me is all one needs.”

Having experienced both the lower divisions and the DStv Premiership, Mayo shared insights into the differences between the two leagues. He emphasized the competitive nature of the lower divisions, where players are constantly striving for promotion, contrasting it with the more strategic and nuanced style of play in the top flight.

“My experience of playing in the lower division was different, as players, we have different journeys. Going on loan was to showcase my talent.I never got the opportunity to play at first team level at Supersport and it was time for me to go and resurface at a new club.”

“Royal Eagles and Ubuntu Cape Town were there first two teams i went on loan to from Supersport.I played a few seasons in the NFD.It was at Richards Bay, where I started enjoying my football, where everything came to light and people were starting to recognise me.”

As a consistent goal scorer, Mayo has set ambitious targets for himself, aiming to surpass his previous goal tally and compete for the top scorer title in the league. Reflecting on his achievements, he shared his pride in being the joint top goal scorer in the previous season and his determination to continue making an impact on the field.

“Last season I was the joint top goal scorer with Peter Shalulile.It was a great achievement for me, to be toe to toe with Peter who has been in fine form in the league for a couple of seasons.It was a wonderful achievement for me because it was my second season in the premiership.”

“I am chasing double figures this season, trying to improve my goal tally. Because last season I managed to score 12, I want to overcome that and go further than having to score 12.

In addition to his club success, Mayo’s talent has earned him a spot in the national team. He expressed his pride in representing his country and his determination to continue striving for excellence at the international level.

“I think every player dreams to represent their country, there’s no player that doesn’t want to represent their country at the highest level of football. Representing your country is one of the best things you could ever achieve as an athlete,fighting for the badge, fighting for the millions of people that are at home, fighting for your family, it’s a nice achievement. I have represented my country and there’s still more to come.”

Despite narrowly missing out on a spot in the recent AFCON squad, Mayo sees it as a motivating factor to further improve and refine his skills. He views the experience as a positive challenge and an opportunity for personal growth.

“Missing out on the AFCON, it wasn’t something that I took it as a downfall, for me it was a motivation. I must work hard, expand on the goals i want to achieve at National level and for the club that I play for. I took it as a challange whereby I had to fix certain aspects of my game, work on my weaknesses , I didn’t take it as a downfall.”

Off the field, Mayo’s life has been enriched by the arrival of his daughter. He spoke passionately about the influence of fatherhood on his career, emphasizing the motivation it provides and the sense of responsibility to provide the best opportunities for his family.

“Fatherhood has influenced me a lot. I don’t live for me anymore. I live for my daughter. My family and my partner, my brother. I have to grind for my daughter. I have to give her the best opportunities she can receive in life. It gives me courage every day to wake up, see my daughter, smile that here is someone that you can live for. A soul that can push you further in life and make sure that you want the best for her.”

Mayo also shared his top three memorable goals, each representing significant moments in his career and personal life. From crucial match-winning strikes to heartfelt dedications, these goals hold special significance for Mayo and serve as reminders of his journey in football.

“My three memorable goals,number one is when i was still Richards Bay and i scored in the quarter final of the the Nedbank cup with the free kick to win the game against TS Sporting, in that game i also scored a penalty.”

“The second one was me revealing that i am going to be father and that happened in a game against AmaZulu and i am going to be a father.”

“The other one was against Marumo Gallants, I dedicated that goal to my former teammate/ my brother Siphamandla Mtolo.That goal was for him, what a player. He was good character, a loving person. May His Soul Continue To Rest In Peace.”

As Khanyisa Mayo continues to make his mark in South African football, his dedication, ambition, and talent position him as a rising star to watch in the DStv Premiership and beyond.