New Highlands Park signing Siyabonga Nhlapo has thanked the club for rescuing him after being left out in the cold at Bidvest Wits.

For three full seasons, the Soweto-born defender was a regular for the Clever Boys and as a result, he ended up playing nine matches for Bafana Bafana.

But all that changed this season when he lost his place, making just four appearances for Wits.

Nhlapo has now moved to the PSL strugglers on a six-month loan deal. He started training with the team yesterday. Highlands are in camp in Cape Town.

"I just have to get back to the field first and foremost - that's my primary goal," said the 28-year-old.

"I want to show my appreciation to Highlands for signing me, because I was going to sit there [at Wits] for the second half of the season."

Nhlapo admitted that he was growing increasingly concerned with his situation at Wits.

"My career was going to take a dive, but nothing is lost and I still have it in me. I felt down when I wasn't playing and I lost my place [in Bafana]. So the situation was frustrating and was eating me up," Nhlapo confessed.

The right back added that he's focused on getting back to his best and even Wits coach Gavin Hunt has wished him well at Highlands.

"The coach [Hunt] and me don't speak much. Our relationship is strictly that of player and coach, but I spoke to him before I left. He gave me encouraging words that I must go and regain my best."

Nhlapo's past woes were compounded by an incident in August last year when he was robbed of R50000 at gunpoint at home.