Banda off to SA

Sport
HIGHLANDERS’ chance to make money from the sale of players could be beckoning as Absa PSL side Maritzburg United has requested left-back Khumbulani Banda

HIGHLANDERS’ chance to make money from the sale of players could be beckoning as Absa Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Maritzburg United has requested left-back Khumbulani Banda to join them on a two-week trial stint.

Khumulani-Banda-of-Bosso--in-whiterunning-for-the-ball-as-Harare-City-plated-follows-during-a-match-played-at-White-City-stadium-in-April-2014

FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER

Banda, who joined Highlanders at the beginning of the season from neighbours How Mine, will be leaving the country today for trials with Maritzburg, coached by former Bafana Bafana skipper Steve Komphela.

Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede yesterday confirmed that Banda, who played for Zvishavane-based outfit FC Platinum, has been requested by the South African side to join them for trials during the 2014 to 2015 season preparations.

“We have just received a letter from Maritzburg United for Khumbulani Banda. They want to assess him for two weeks and he is off to South Africa tomorrow (today),” Gumede said.

Banda has not commanded a first place at Highlanders, but if he makes it in South Africa, he would join three other Bosso players who have already signed contracts with Absa PSL clubs.

According to Gumede, Peter “Rio” Moyo left for South Africa last week to join Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Moyo trained with Highlanders last week ahead of the Dynamos match.

Milton Ncube, who is bound to join Ajax Cape Town and was not part of the team that played Dynamos on Sunday, is in Harare where Gumede said he was sorting out papers for the trip to Cape Town.

“Rio has left for South Africa. He left last week and Milton went to Harare last week and came to the National Sports Stadium on Sunday to wish us well against Dynamos. He was making arrangements to travel to South Africa from Harare. We left him there,” Gumede said.

Ajax had requested Ncube last week, but Bosso said they had received correspondence at short notice as they arranged to use the player against Dynamos.

Kuda Mahachi’s exact date of departure for South Africa is not yet known. Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu on Sunday said the Mamelodi Sundowns-bound attacking midfielder was still around at Highlanders.

Sundowns have only confirmed that the Warriors player will be going for trials with French Ligue 1 side AS Nancy after the Fifa World Cup next month. Meanwhile, Gumede yesterday said Highlanders would be holding the mid-year extraordinary general meeting on July 6 at the Highlanders Sports Club. “We will be holding our extraordinary general meeting on July 6 where we will discuss progress that we have made so far and share ideas on how best we could improve,” he said. Gumede started work on June 1 and is expected to spearhead Bosso’s commercial turnaround as the club moves towards fully meeting the requirements of club licensing. Highlanders are one of the richest clubs in the country with a clubhouse, two sports bars and various sports fields, a camping house and offices in the city centre. In another development, Warriors midfielder Danny Phiri and Hwange’s Rodwell Chinyengetere have sneaked out for trials at Absa side Polokwane City. Phiri is wanted by National First Division side FC Cape Town where he attended trials two weeks ago. Polokwane City went into the PSL after winning the play-offs at the end of the season after finishing 15th on the log standings.