Khumalo was one of the most promising South African youngsters and seen as the next big asset for the country after becoming a key player for Moroka Swallows at a very young age.
Then in 2013 he joined Sundowns, where his career took another turn as he struggled to get a chance in the first team.
The 29-year-old is now playing for Futuro Kings in Equatorial Guinea after leaving Masandawana in 2019 and says even now he doesn't know what really happened at Chloorkop.
"I really don't know my brother, remember I was coming from Swallows, I was a regular at the team, playing every single game," Khumalo tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"There wasn't any reason given to me why I was not used but I'm a professional, I can't expect the coach to sit me down and explain. I worked very hard at training until my last day at the club."
Not playing regularly for years, especially coming from a team where he was guaranteed to be in the starting line-up, can destroy any player mentally.
But Khumalo says getting support from Sundowns' senior players and his family helped him get through the tough times.
"It was very difficult, as I said I came from a team where I was playing regularly," he recalls.
"The senior players in the team motivated me to work harder. My family was there for me so I never gave up and never missed a training session at Sundowns. But as I said, my family was there ndoda."
--------------------------------------------------------------