Bongani Zungu

Bongani Zungu

Zungu with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth	(1992-10-09) 9 October 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Duduza, South Africa
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Amazulu
Number	34
Youth career
2010–2012	Dynamos
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2013	University of Pretoria	25	(7)
2013–2016	Mamelodi Sundowns	58	(1)
2016–2017	Vitória Guimarães	19	(1)
2017–2022	Amiens	67	(1)
2020–2021	→ Rangers (loan)	14	(0)
2022–2024	Mamelodi Sundowns	23	(1)
2024–	AmaZulu	15	(1)
International career‡
2013–2021	South Africa	30	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:40, 6 July 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:11, 08 February 2023 (UTC)

Bongani Zungu (born 9 October 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Amazulu and the South Africa national team.

Club career

Having joined the University of Pretoria from Dynamos at the start of the 2012–13 season, Zungu helped AmaTuks to a top eight finish in the club's debut campaign in the PSL. At the end of the season it was announced that Zungu would be joining Mamelodi Sundowns in a swap deal, with Buhle Mkhwanazi and Siyabonga Ngubane joining University of Pretoria. ^[1]

Zungu suffered a hairline fracture of the shin in a 3–2 win over Maritzburg United, ruling him out for up to twelve weeks. ^[2] Despite missing most of the second half of the 2015–16 season, Zungu had the perfect send off from Sundowns with the club lifting the PSL title in May 2016. ^[3]

On 20 January 2016, Zungu's agent Steve Kapeluschnik confirmed that he would be joining Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season. ^[4] After a season in Portugal, Zungu moved to French club Amiens.

Zungu signed for Scottish club Rangers on loan from Amiens in October 2020. ^[5] Rangers secured an option to sign him permanently for a £2.7 million transfer fee. ^[6] In February 2021 he was one of five Rangers players fined by Scottish police "for attending an illegal gathering of 10 people in a flat" in breach of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. ^[6]

Zungu left Mamelodi Sundowns in June 2024. ^[7]

He joined Amazulu in December 2024. ^[8]

International career

Zungu made his debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Burkina Faso on 17 August 2013. ^[9] He scored his first international goal against Swaziland on 15 November 2013, with South Africa winning 3–0. ^[10]

Personal life

In July 2014 Zungu was a victim of a hi-jacking when a group of armed men made off with his car outside his home in Duduza. ^[11] He is currently dating Cindy Mahlangu and welcomed their first child in 2022. ^{[12] [13]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 April 2021 ^[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
University of Pretoria	2012–13	Premier Division	25	7	1	0	1	0	—		0	0	27	7
Mamelodi Sundowns	2013–14	Premier Division	22	1	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	26	1
	2014–15		23	0	5	0	1	0	2	0	1 [a]	0	32	0
	2015–16		13	0	0	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	17	2
	Total		58	1	7	0	7	2	2	0	1	0	75	3
Vitória Guimarães	2016–17	Primeira Liga	16	0	5	1	2	1	—		—		23	2
	2017–18		3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [b]	0	4	1
	Total		19	1	5	1	2	1	0	0	1	0	27	3
Amiens	2017–18	Ligue 1	26	1	0	0	2	0	—		—		28	1
	2018–19		5	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		5	0
	2019–20		21	1	0	0	1	0	—		—		22	1
Rangers (on loan)	2020–21	Scottish Premiership	14	0	0	0	2	0	5	0	0	0	21	0
Career total			169	11	13	1	15	3	7	0	2	0	205	15

1. Appearance in the MTN 8 Cup
2. Appearance in the Supertaça Cup

International

As of matches played on 23 February 2021 ^[15]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
South Africa	2013	6	1
	2014	3	0
	2015	9	1
	2016	0	0
	2017	4	0
	2018	1	0
	2019	5	2
	2020	2	1
Total		30	5

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zungu goal. ^[15]

List of international goals scored by Bongani Zungu

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	15 November 2013	Somhlolo National Stadium, Lobamba, Swaziland	Swaziland	1–0	3–0	Friendly
2	29 March 2015	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa	Nigeria	1–1	1–1	Friendly
3	28 June 2019	Al Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt	Namibia	1–0	1–0	2019 Africa Cup of Nations
4	10 July 2019	Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt	Nigeria	1–1	1–2	2019 Africa Cup of Nations
5	13 November 2020	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa	São Tomé and Príncipe	2–0	2-0	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Mamelodi Sundowns

• PSL: 2013–14; 2015–16
• Nedbank Cup: 2014–15
• Telkom Knockout: 2015–16
• African Football League  : 2022

Rangers

• Scottish Premiership: 2020–21 ^[16]

References

1. "University of Pretoria coach Steve Barker says the new signings have replaced Aubrey Ngoma, Bongani Zungu and Mame Niang – News". Kick Off. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
2. Mabasa, Tiyani (3 February 2016). "Zungu's injury 'a blessing'". The Sowetan. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
3. van Nelson, Rouel (5 May 2016). "How Mamelodi Sundowns won the Absa Premiership". Goal South Africa. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
4. "Official: Bongani Zungu to join Vitoria de Guimaraes next season". Kick Off. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
5. "Bongani Zungu joins Rangers from Amiens on loan with option for permanent move. He will help the club to win their 55th league title. The most successful club in the world. 🔴⚪️🔵". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
6. Lindsay, Matthew (20 February 2021). "Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu set to depart Ibrox this summer following Covid-19 lockdown breach". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
7. "Former Bafana star Bongani Zungu leaves Mamelodi Sundowns after two seasons". Times Live. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
8. Mphahlele, Mahlatse (17 December 2024). "AmaZulu strengthen their squad with Sandile Mthethwa and Bongani Zungu". Times Live. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
9. "Shabba, Nomandela secure win for Bafana". IOL. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
10. "Comfortable win for Bafana over Swaziland". Kick Off. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
11. "Mamelodi Sundowns Midfielder Bongani Zungu Survives Hijacking". Soccer Laduma. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
12. Seleme, Rae (28 April 2022). "Actress Cindy Mahlangu and soccer star Bongani Zungu welcomes baby!". The South African. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
13. Seleme, Rae (28 August 2021). "Bafana star Bongani Zungu and actress Cindy Mahlangu take the next step". The South African. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
14. Bongani Zungu at Soccerway . Retrieved 17 November 2017.
15. "Bongani Zungu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
16. "Rangers top-flight champions for first time since 2011 after Celtic drop points". BBC Sport. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.

External links

• Bongani Zungu at Soccerway
• Bongani Zungu at National-Football-Teams.com