Rusike seeks SA citizenship
ZIMBABWE international striker Evans Rusike has applied for a South African citizenship which will enable him register as a local player, at least according to reports in South Africa.
Rusike has been linked with a move away from SuperSport United and it emerged delays in getting local citizenship has stalled a potential move.
This is despite his current team declaring that he is not for sale.
The Zimbabwean is linked with his former club Maritzburg United and Amazulu.
Rusike’s manager Mike Makaab told South Africa’s Soccer Laduma that the player has applied for permanent residence.
“Yes, there has been interest in Evans by a few clubs and the difficulty is that, although he is eligible for citizenship, the department (home affairs) is working on a very small staff or no staff at all sometimes due to Covid,” said Makaab of Prosport International.
According to South Africa’s PSL rules, clubs are only allowed to have a maximum five players who are not South Africans on their books at any time.
This means getting Rusike permanent citizenship will allow him to be registered by any of his potential suitors without needing to offload one of their foreign players.
“It’s been almost impossible to get it done effectively. But it is in the upper most part of our minds,” added Makaab.
Rusike has been in South Africa for more than five years, having crossed Limpopo in 2015, and he now qualifies to get that’s country’s citizenship.
The 30-year old joined South African top-flight side Maritzburg United in 2015 and spent three years. He moved to SuperSport United in 2018 and there are chances he could be registered as a local player before the transfer window closes on Monday.
He will join active players like Willard Katsande, Khama Billiat, Kuda Mahachi, Tapuwa Kapini, Willard and Washington Arubi who play in South Africa as local players.