×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Orlando Pirates to dump Makonese

Sport
Former Warriors defender Zvenyika Makonese, who is plying his trade at South African football giants Orlando Pirates, will be dumped by his club for alleged indiscipline, NewsDay Sport can reveal. A source close to Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza confirmed that Makonese together with Malawian striker Chiekupo Msowoya will be offloaded at the club to pave […]

Former Warriors defender Zvenyika Makonese, who is plying his trade at South African football giants Orlando Pirates, will be dumped by his club for alleged indiscipline, NewsDay Sport can reveal.

A source close to Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza confirmed that Makonese together with Malawian striker Chiekupo Msowoya will be offloaded at the club to pave way for new faces, among others Gunners left-back Qadr Amini.

“The chairman (Khoza) is not happy with Zvenyika Makonese. The guy is a good player but he has problems with discipline, especially his drinking habits.

“The point here is that Pirates do not restrict their players, but things have to be done in a more decent way. Pirates are a big brand and we need to preserve that.

“Zvenyika has this habit of drinking at some rundown places and in some cases in the company of women who will be wearing no shoes. It does not do good to the team’s image. Players must drink from decent places because they are paid well,” said the source.

A Zimbabwean player who plays for a top club here also confirmed Makonese is usually seen at a watering hole in Braamfontein, downtown Johannesburg.

Efforts to contact Makonese were fruitless as he was said to be in Zimbabwe.

But according to Soccer Time magazine in a story headlined “Zvenyika Makonese living recklessly”, the steely defender seems to have become wayward.

The magazine wrote: “He arrived at the same waterhole in his car and parked awkwardly right in the front of the pub whose entrance is hardly three metres from a busy road. He walked towards me with his green bottle in hand oblivious of the fact that public drinking could land him in trouble.

“He had to hide the bottle in his shirt as we started talking. Obviously, his state was not conducive for the interview that I intended to hold with him.” The former Shabanie Mine rearguard is reported to have been stabbed by a girlfriend.

“It is alleged he was injured when one of his girlfriends attacked him. Fights with his women, believed to be ladies of the night who frequent the waterhole are a common occurrence.

“Every other day, Zvenyika is found at a certain bar in downtown Johannesburg,” wrote Soccer Time.

Mickey Modisane, Pirates communications manager said: “Zvenyika is still our player but he has serious personal problems off the pitch that he needs to sort out. Sometimes he misses training because of his personal issues.

Twice he has been involved in fights with his girlfriends and was even stabbed by one of them. Orlando Pirates is such a big brand and we can’t allow one player tarnishing it.”

Meanwhile, the scheduled signing ceremony for Amini at Pirates was delayed because Khoza was not in the country.

Gunners owner Cuthbert Chitima said the deal has been postponed.

“Khoza is not in South Africa and we could not go ahead. We now await his return,” said Chitima who was in South Africa.