In our latest feature of Where Are They Now, KickOff catches up with former Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos and Ajax Cape Town defender Lizo Mjempu on his life after football.
Who am I?
"I was born in the Eastern Cape but grew up in Embalenhle in Secunda.
"I played for a team called Early Birds before moving to Remember FC, that's where I got my big breakthrough.
"From there I joined the Jomo Cosmos Academy. We were the first group in the Cosmos Academy in 2001.
"2005/06 I was loaned to PJ Stars. My friend Nhlanhla Shabalala who is also from Secunda recommended me to Ajax.
They were having a crisis in the left-back position. Brett Evans was injured. That was in the 2009/10 Season.
"Pirates bought me, after that it was Swallows, that's where I finished my career after I struggled to get a team."
My playing days?
"Yes, I'm happy football has thought me a lot about life, even though I retired at 30. I would have to play until I was 35.
"I won the league with Pirates, I was part of the squad then won a treble.
"I'm happy with my family, my wife. All the stuff I owned playing football I still have them.
"I'm happy because there are players who played more than 20 years but still failed to achieve what I've achieved."
Did I make money from soccer?
"Not a lot of money but I used it wiser. I bought myself a house in Roodepoort. There's a roof over my family's heads. After football, I didn't go back home to stay in a backroom."
Jobs since playing game?
"I ventured into coaching. I coached in the SAB and in the ABC Motsepe League. I had short spell coaching TS Galaxy in the ABC Motsepe League while they were still based in Mpumalanga. I also coached Passion FC; I was replaced with Kgoloko Thobejane."
My current job
"I'm with Sekhukhune United, I'm coaching their ABC Motsepe League team African All Stars."
If I could do it again?
"I took too long to leave Jomo Cosmos; I should have joined Gavin Hunt at Moroka Swallows when he wanted to sign me.
"I'd take football seriously, take it as a career. I didn't work harder."