Who is Tera Maliwa?

Tera Maliwa: Scouting Networks Across Africa and Abroad

Profile

From identifying young talent at Ajax Cape Town to scouting across Africa and South America for Mamelodi Sundowns, Tera Maliwa has built almost two decades of experience in talent identification and recruitment. Today, he is Head of Scouting and Recruitment at Kaizer Chiefs FC, one of South Africa’s biggest clubs.

Since joining Kaizer Chiefs in 2024, Maliwa has helped shape the club’s recruitment strategy, focusing primarily on the South African market while continuing to explore talent across Africa and internationally. His extensive scouting network remains central to his approach.

Before joining Chiefs, Maliwa spent more than seven years as Youth Head Scout at Ajax Cape Town, an experience that helped shape his approach to scouting. Working alongside Maarten Stekelenburg and Corne Groenendijk, coaches developed within the AFC Ajax system, he strengthened his understanding of talent identification while helping structure the club’s scouting department and coordinate regional scouts.

In 2017, he joined Mamelodi Sundowns, where he spent seven years and progressed to Head of International Scouting, specialising in Africa and South America. His work took him to 46 countries across both continents.

With limited access to data and video in parts of Africa, Maliwa relies on live scouting and trusted local networks, with scouts covering different regions of the continent while he travels to assess players himself. He believes more South African players could reach Europe, but identifies high transfer fees, agents’ ambitions and players’ reluctance to start in smaller leagues as key barriers.

Looking ahead, he remains ambitious about Kaizer Chiefs’ development, following strong recruitment across recent transfer windows, while continuing to progress in his own scouting career.

Key Insights

• Today, he is Head of Scouting and Recruitment at Kaizer Chiefs FC, one of South Africa’s biggest clubs.
• His work took him to 46 countries across both continents.
• His extensive scouting network remains central to his approach.

Here’s our exclusive interview with Tera Maliwa

You are currently Head of Scouting and Recruitment at Kaizer Chiefs. How has your experience been so far, and what are the main markets you focus on when recruiting players?

My experience so far has been good. I’ve been with the club now for 2 full years. Obviously the methods are different from my old club. So the experience has been good and so far so good. The main market is our local market. But we also focus on the African market and South American markets. I have lots of contacts in both South America and Africa. I’ve been traveling to South America for 9 years, and been to 46 countries between Africa and South America in the last 7 years.

I’ve been traveling to South America for 9 years, and been to 46 countries between Africa and South America in the last 7 years.

You spent more than seven years at Ajax Cape Town as Youth Head Scout. How important was that period in shaping your approach to talent identification and recruitment?

To be honest that is where my Scouting career started to shape up. I cherish every moment I spend with Ajax Cape Town. Fortunately I was being shaped up by two Dutch guys who were working with us. Maarten Stekelenberg and Corne Croenendijt played a big part helping me taking my Scouting career to another lever

As Head of International Scouting at Sundowns, you focused extensively on Africa and South America. What did you learn about identifying talent across such different football markets?1 response

I learned a lot, especially travelling between the two continents. My first trip when I arrived at Sundowns was the u17 tournament in Doulla, Cameroon. The weather was scorching hot and humid. I got sick on my 2nd day of the tournament. But I managed to watch the whole tournament, the finals between Cameroon vs DRC. That’s where I scouted then 15 year old, Isaac Tshibangu. It was not easy because other countries had talented players as well. And my first South American trip was Sao Paulo , Brazil, watching a winger that was playing for Bragantino, who later went on to play in Russia, and represented Brazil in the World Cup.

In many African markets, access to data and video can still be limited. How do you identify and evaluate talent in those environments, and how important is your network on the ground?

Data access is the problem in Africa. Football is not being televised in many countries. Tools such as Stats-Bomb, WYSCOUT, etc are not available in many countries. So what I do is I go watch a player live in his own country. And I also rely much on my contacts/ Scouts whom I pay them from my own pocket. In Scouting it is very important to have contacts. In Africa, 6 Scouts from different regions. West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, South Region. And those are the people I trust with information etc.

In Scouting it is very important to have contacts.

South Africa has always produced talented young players. How do you view the development pathway, and why do you think fewer South African players are playing in Europe compared to other African nations?

Yes, South Africa used to import players to Europe. But currently it is not the same. I think also agents play a role in not being ambitious enough to send or market their clients to Europe. They are probably satisfied to make business with so called local big clubs. And also another reason could be possible the transfer fee amount asked by the clubs. One more reason our players at times choose where they want to go. They don’t want to start maybe in Finland, Iceland etc in those smaller countries. And that’s the difference to West African players who can go anywhere around the world. That’s my opinion.

What are your ambitions for the upcoming seasons?

I am very ambitious and especially about our team this season. We have recruited well in the last 3 transfer windows. And I believe we did pretty well last season. Of course bigger ambitions for my personal Career is to see myself taking my scouting career to another level.

We have recruited well in the last 3 transfer windows.

FAQ

What is Tera Maliwa’s current role?

Today, he is Head of Scouting and Recruitment at Kaizer Chiefs FC, one of South Africa’s biggest clubs.

Which markets does Tera Maliwa focus on?

The main market is our local market. But we also focus on the African market and South American markets.

How does Tera Maliwa scout where data and video are limited?

So what I do is I go watch a player live in his own country.