Booysen targets PSL promotion after Sundowns loan move to AmaTuks

Oarabile Booysen says his loan move from Mamelodi Sundowns to University of Pretoria has given him the opportunity he needed to develop by playing professional football in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

The winger was one of Sundowns’ standout performers in the DStv Diski Challenge before joining AmaTuks. He has made three appearances for the club, making his debut in a home defeat by Midlands Wanderers.

Booysen recorded his first assist for University of Pretoria in their 2-0 away win against Venda FC in Thohoyandou. He believes the experience of competing at a higher level will help him improve his game.

“Yes, I think this move was okay for my growth. I really needed it. From my own perspective, I feel that I just have to understand more of the details and I will be fine. It’s just basics, like always scanning and the first touch must be okay so that you can know what to do next,” Booysen told Soccer Laduma.

The 20-year-old has also set ambitious targets for both club and country, saying: “This season, I just want to promote Tuks to the PSL (Betway Premiership) and win Cosafa and AFCON and hopefully win the World Cup (with the national under-20 team).”

Booysen joins Amajita camp

Booysen is currently with South Africa’s national under-20 team, known as Amajita, ahead of the Cosafa U/20 Championship in Mozambique.

The tournament will serve as a qualifying competition for the 2027 U/20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Ghana. Amajita enter the competition as the defending AFCON champions and face the challenge of matching the achievements of the previous generation.

“I am so happy to be here and I am so grateful to represent South Africa. I think this experience will teach many things I want to know. I will learn when I am still growing and I will get where I want to be,” Booysen said.

Amajita have been drawn in Group B alongside Lesotho, Angola and Eswatini.