The Sunday News
SOUTH Africa’s Orlando Pirates have confirmed an agreement for long-serving striker Thamsanqa Gabuza and Zimbabwean attacking midfielder Kudakwashe Mahachi with one of their PSL rivals.
Gabuza is set to leave the Buccaneers’ ship after six seasons of service to the Soweto giants and is set to join Tshwane outfit SuperSport United. Pirates confirmed that Matsatsantsa are also set to receive midfielder Mahachi, who departs after just one season since arriving from Golden Arrows.
Gabuza, who also arrived from Abafana Bes’thende, is set to end a long-standing love-hate relationship with the club, whose supporters have proven difficult to please. The 31-year-old had a dramatic ordeal last season when he reacted to jeers from the stands, throwing his jersey at the crowd before storming off the pitch after assisting his side’s opening goal in a 2-1 victory over Black Leopards.
He leaves having contributed 17 goals in just over 100 appearances in all competitions. His most memorable spell will remain the club’s 2015 CAF Confederation Cup campaign, in which he ended joint-top scorer after netting six times en route to their final defeat to Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel.
“I would like to thank the entire Orlando Pirates family for all they have done for me during my stay here. I leave here with a lot of wonderful memories and lifelong friendships,” said the towering Bafana Bafana international.
“I would like to also especially thank the Chairman for the father figure role he has played in my life.”
Mahachi, meanwhile, is in Egypt, where he is part of the Zimbabwe squad taking part at the Africa Cup of Nations. The 25-year-old attacker has yet to feature for Sunday Chidzwambwa’s side in their two Group A matches thus far, one ending in defeat to The Pharaohs and the other a stalemate with Denis Onyango’s Uganda last night.
Another Zimbabwean at Pirates, Marshall Munetsi also leaves Pirates for France. —KickOff/Sunday News Reporter.
