“He Doesn’t Make Those Mistakes” – Kadodia Slams Leaner, Demands Keet’s Bafana Return
Durban City chairman Farook Kadodia has lauded Darren Keet’s transformative impact at the club, insisting the veteran goalkeeper deserves a spot in the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite his age.
Keet, who arrived at City during the off-season following his departure from Cape Town City, has been a revelation for the Durban-based outfit.
His heroics were on full display Saturday at Chatsworth Stadium, where his superb shot-stopping ensured a 1-0 victory over Casric Stars, securing City’s place in the Nedbank Cup final.
Throughout the tournament, Keet has been an immovable barrier. He previously guided the side through tense penalty shootout victories against Chippa United and Upington City, and again proved the hero from the spot in last month’s quarter-final win over Golden Arrows.
The 36-year-old’s statistics back up the hype; he has kept 15 clean sheets in 27 appearances across all competitions this season.
Kadodia believes Keet’s reliability is exactly what the national team needs, particularly following Renaldo Leaner’s costly error in Tuesday’s FIFA-sanctioned friendly against Panama at DHL Stadium.
“I think Darren Keet has played a massive role in the success of this team,” Kadodia told Sportswire.
“I firmly believe, irrespective of his age, he deserves a Bafana Bafana call-up. You saw the mistakes from the other goalkeeper [Renaldo Leaner]; those are not mistakes you see Keet making. He brings invaluable experience and is the perfect candidate to provide depth to the national squad.”
Despite his current form, Keet has been in the international wilderness for some time.
His last appearance for South Africa—where he earned 13 caps—came in an October 2020 friendly against Zambia.
His final involvement with the squad was as a substitute for Ronwen Williams during the November 2020 AFCON qualifiers against Sao Tome.
Beyond the cup final run, Keet’s leadership has helped the Betway Premiership debutants punch well above their weight. City currently sit fifth in the league standings with 35 points from 22 matches.
