OnSport Reporter
THE new wave of interest in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League from clubs in South Africa has been attributed to a marked improvement in the local game after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21 and the Fifa ban in 2022.
All sporting activities were suspended during the Covid-19 era and the Felton Kamambo-led Zifa was banned in February 2022 for government interference until a normalisation committee, led by Lincoln Mutasa was appointed in July 2023.
Only this year in January was a substantive Zifa executive committee elected and is led by Nqobile Magwizi.
Former FC Platinum striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya has joined AmaZulu while top scorer in the local league, TelOne’s Washington Navaya is reported to be also in Durban where he is being assessed by newly promoted Betway Premiership side Durban City.
Warriors and Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard also recently left the GameCocks to joined First National Division side Kruger United.
The last player to sign a contract in South Africa from Zimbabwe was teenager Nokutenda Mangezi who joined SuperSport United in September last year from Real Betis Academy in Harare.
Renowned Zimbabwe player agent Gibson Mahachi believes Zimbabwe is back on track in football after the Covid-19 disaster and the Fifa and with the qualification to Afcon, player interest ‘in the local league will grow.
“We are back on track. Covid 19 took away two years or so of our football and that Fifa ban took away another two years of our football, altogether that is almost five years. The effects of Covid are there for everyone to see in sport and the effects of the ban are also there for people to see. Now there has been some stability in our football, especially in the past two years and we seem to be coming back, because if you look at these past years, there are boys who were developing but they just went down the drain,” Mahachi said.
He added: “Now we are back, we are now playing football and we have qualified for Afcon and every club, and everybody will look at Zimbabwe and say what is going on. There is something right that is coming up hence the performance of our players because that is what clubs in South Africa look at. Football in the country has been better last year and this year. I think we are back on track and the challenge we had was Covid-19 and the Fifa ban and we lost in football. During the ban nothing was happening in our football.”
The number of players from Zimbabwe, playing in the South African top league has continued to drop over the last few years from close to 30 a decade ago to less than 10 to date.
Khama Billiat, Walter Musona, Evans Rusike, Butholezwe Ncube and Kudakwashe Mahachi are some of the players who returned from South Africa to play in the local league, the latest being Terrnec Dzvukamanja, who has joined Scottland FC from SuperSport United.
Golden Arrows are said not to be keen on renewing Knox Mutizwa’s contract.
Starring in the Betway Premiership at the moment are champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ and Warriors left-back Divine Lunga and goalkeepers Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi) and Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants).
