Cape Town City’s defence gets a fine shot in the arm
CAPE Town City signed Kwanda Mngonyama from Mamelodi Sundowns for an undisclosed fee yesterday, strengthening their backline while they continue contract discussions with their captain, Robyn Johannes.
The move will also come as relief for Mngonyama, who has not kicked a ball in anger this season.
Mngonyama departs Sundowns without playing a game for the club‚ having spent the last four seasons out on loan after being signed as a teenage prodigy with much expectation for the future.
He made his Premier Soccer League debut for Bidvest Wits in October 2013 and then had three seasons at Maritzburg United – all out on loan – while at the same time also having his contract at Sundowns extended.
But he has never really been in coach Pitso Mosimane’s plans, and he has now been sold to a club where the 24-year-old Durban-born Mngonyama will have a chance to play first team football again.
“When I heard there was a chance for City to land Kwanda I was instantly excited,” said City coach Benni McCarthy.
“Mngonyama is a soldier and probably one of the most promising defensive talents to come out of South Africa in a long time.
“Seeing where the club is going‚ building for the future‚ this was a key acquisition for us. I can’t wait to start working with the young man and get him to where he should be.”
Mngonyama took part in his first training session as the City players returned from their brief Christmas holiday yesterday.
City are also providing themselves with cover in case Johannes leaves. The captain is still to sign a new deal with the club and might follow Lehlohonolo Majoro out of the City squad if he does a deal with another PSL outfit.
In other transfer news Mamelodi Sundowns pulled off a major transfer coup after securing attacking midfielder Aubrey Ngoma’s signature from Cape Town City.
Sundowns announced in a social media post yesterday that Ngoma’s move to Chloorkop is subject to an agreement on personal terms and on the completion of medicals.
The arrival of the sought-after Ngoma at Chloorkop is believed to be part of the deal that saw Mngonyama moving in the opposite direction.
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is a long-time admirer of the Hammanskraal-born Ngoma and perhaps his reluctance to talk about the player recently was the strongest hint that a move was in the works.
“Let’s leave the issue of Ngoma because he is a Cape Town City player and I am going to be in trouble if I talk more about him,” Mosimane said last week after City beat Sundowns 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld.
In that victory‚ Ngoma was replaced after 46 minutes with an injury, but he should be ready to feature for his new club when the PSL programme resumes next week. — Additional Reporting by Mahlatse Mphahlele