South African football has lost so many greats talents who were tipped for greatness during their development stages, while others have gone on to make a name or themselves in the Absa Premiership and Bafana Bafana.
Ndlela, who recently signed for Real Kings, is one of those players who is yet to play top-flight football despite having shared a dressing room with Kabelo Mahlasela, Mthokozisi Dube, Michael Morton, Mduduzi Nyanda and Thulasizwe Mbuyane.
"In 1999, I was very young playing with older guys in the Durban central league for an amateur team like Durban classic," Ndlela tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"In late 2001, I was then spotted by Orlando Pirates development as they were here in Durban. I went there in 2002 when Augusto Palacios took me and I played for four years in their reserve side, before moving to African Wanderers which was playing in the Vodacom League now known as ABC Motsepe.
The 34-year-old says his childhood friend Siyanda Xulu tried to rescue his career after his time at Usuthu was cut short due to injuries, which also came back to haunt him at Royal Eagles.
"I then moved to AmaZulu FC, during the time of coach Manqoba Mngqithi, unfortunately I stayed for six months and got injured. I had to leave until Harold 'Jazzy Queen' Legodi with the help of Siyanda Xulu.
"I then moved to Roses FC under Max Tshabalala but I stayed for three months due to financial issues."
Things seemed like they were going back to normal for Ndlela as he was contacted Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns after great performance in the Nedbank Cup, but nothing materliased for the midfielder.
"Then came back to play for Royal Eagles for two years where I got another injury which kept me out for years and I was about to quit football until I was called by coach Thami Ngubane at KwaDukuza to help them with Nedbank Cup. I was a man of the match against Ajax Cape Town.
"I did well there. I even got contacted by Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape town but I don't know what happened with those interests."
Ndlela will be at the bio-bubble to finish the current GladAfrica Championship campaign and his mission now is to make sure he ends his career with a cap in the Premiership.
"Football is all about luck. You can have talent but if God decides otherwise you can't do anything. Those I played with during my development may be successful but that doesn't mean we are all going to make it," he adds.
"I'm just happy to be even playing in the NFD because some couldn't even reach that level."