DURBAN - Mamelodi Sundowns are planning to register the duo of Cuthbert Malajila and Mogakolodi Ngele.
The duo were on loan at Bidvest Wits last season, where they won the Absa Premiership and the MTN 8, but are currently not registered in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Sundowns have already exhausted the PSL foreign quota requirement, having registered Leonard Castro (Colombia), Fares Hachi (Algeria) Soumahoro Bangaly (Ivory Coast), Yannick Zakri (Ivory Coast) and Razak Brimah (Ghana).
Anthony Laffor (Liberia) Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe), Kennedy Mweene (Zambia) and Denis Onyango (Uganda) are registered as South African, having lived in the country for five years.
Sundowns spokesperson Thulani Thuswa confirmed that they are planning to retain Malajila and Ngele. Malajila is the Zimbabwean international and Ngele hails from Botswana.
“We’ve applied for the permanent residence of Ngele and Malajila. They are our players. We can register them anytime time. We are not bound by the transfer deadline,” Thuswa explained.
The duo will not compete in the Caf Champions League, as they are both cup tied. The current Champions League holders registered the trio of Thela Ngobeni, Oupa “Ace” Manyisa and George Lebese with Caf.
They have the date with Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the quarterfinal of the competition. Another player whose status is in question is Abdul Fiston Razak (Burundi), who was on loan at Bloemfontein Celtic last season.
“Razak is not with us and that’s why he has not been registered. He is not going to play for Sundowns. We might have to release him but it is not confirmed as yet,” Thuswa elaborated.
Razak arrived in South Africa with high expectations but the Burundian international has yet to reach his full potential.
Sundowns also failed in their bid to land the services of Lebogang Manyama from Cape Town City and Jeremy Brockie from SuperSport United, so will have to rely on Billiat, Zakri and Castro for goals upfront.
Still at Sundowns, Kwanda Mngonyama is training with the MultiChoice Diski Challenge team, having failed to find a club during this transfer window.
Mngonyama was on loan at Maritzburg United for the past three seasons, and had also been on loan at Bidvest Wits before.
Bongi Ntuli is on loan at Platinum Stars, and was registered on the last day of the transfer window.