As a young football fanatic growing up in Ilitha Township near Qonce, Siyabonga Gijana spent years reading Soccer Laduma and dreaming of one day seeing his byline in its pages.
Today, that dream has become a reality.
The 31-year-old sports journalist has secured an opportunity with SA’s leading football publication after a journey marked by persistence, sacrifice and an unwavering love for the game.
For Gijana, football has been a lifelong passion.
He played the sport from a young age and later became a coach, while spending countless hours following local and international football.
That passion eventually led him into sports journalism.
His career began in 2021 at Izwi Lethemba Community Radio in KuGompo City, where he worked as a sports reporter and presenter.
“We would go to soccer matches and then return to the radio station to report on the games. That is where my career started to grow,” Gijana said.
The role gave him valuable experience covering matches, interviewing players and coaches, and producing reports for listeners.
When the radio station later closed, Gijana was forced to rethink his future.
Rather than giving up on his dream, he created his own platform.
In 2022, he launched the Facebook page Siya Gijana Soccer Report, where he shared match reports, football news and interviews.
“I started the page because I love football. I never imagined that it would grow to the extent that it did or that it would open doors for me,” he said.
The page steadily gained followers and attracted attention within football circles.
One of the first signs his work was gaining recognition came when Cape Town-based clothing brand Vecchio approached him to represent it in the Eastern Cape.
More opportunities followed.
Gijana was invited to give an analysis of Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League clubs in the Nedbank Cup, allowing him to showcase his football knowledge to a wider audience.
Behind the growing profile, however, was a constant financial struggle.
Without a stable income, he often paid for travel, airtime and other costs from his own pocket.
“There were times when I had to use my own money just to get to games and do interviews.
“I didn’t have professional equipment and I used my cellphone to record interviews.”
To support himself, Gijana drew on his qualifications in the arts.
He holds a BTech art degree from Walter Sisulu University and used income earned through art-related work and internships to fund his reporting.
“I was pushing passion,” he said.
That persistence eventually paid off when he introduced himself to an editor at Soccer Laduma.
The meeting led to the opportunity he had spent years working towards.
“I grew up reading Soccer Laduma. It has always been my dream to work there,” Gijana said.
“I am now 31, and have followed football since I was seven.
“Those 24 years have finally paid off. I am where I always wanted to be.”
Gijana credits faith and perseverance for helping him navigate setbacks and uncertainty.
He also thanks those who supported him along the way, particularly the management of Izwi Lethemba Community Radio.
“I am grateful to the owners of Izwi Lethemba because I would not be where I am today if they had not opened doors for me,” he said.
Gijana hopes his story will encourage other young people pursuing their dreams, regardless of the obstacles they face.
“There were times I felt like giving up, but I had a dream,” he said.
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