Former professional soccer player Rodney “Rama G” Ramagalela, who played for Mamelodi Sundowns, Polokwane City FC and Black Leopards FC, has joined SABC radio station Phalaphala FM as a football analyst for the 2026/27 radio season.
His appointment was confirmed by the station’s programmes manager, Sharon Ravele. Ramagalela had already begun transitioning into the media industry, working as a football analyst on Makhado FM’s weekday sports show. He also served as an MTN8 ambassador this season. He officially started his new role on 1 April.
Ramagalela, who also played for Highlands Park FC, Lamontville Golden Arrows FC and other clubs, retired in 2024 after sustaining an injury while playing for the University of Pretoria FC in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. The injury ended a career that included winning the DStv Premiership top goalscorer award in the 2017/18 season.
Born in Mamvuka in the Nzhelele area, he started playing football at 15 for Mabvula All Stars before joining Black Leopards’ development team, Phungo All Stars. He earned a place in the senior team in 2009.
He said he valued playing alongside teammates such as Mulondo Sikhwivhilu, Thokozani Mnguni, Muengedzi Bobe and Christopher Netshidzivhe during his time at Black Leopards.
Ramagalela is now focused on football development, saying young players need more guidance.
“Young players keep things simple, but they lack dedication to the sport. Football has become so commercialised that players often focus on making quick money. One thing that concerns me is how frequently players move between teams, which confuses the fans,” he said.
He added that many players’ careers are short-lived because they prioritise short-term gains over long-term growth. Reflecting on his early career, he said perseverance was key.
“We used to buy our own soccer boots, and the same pair was used for both practice and games - unlike nowadays,” he said.