AmaZulu trio – Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Keagan Buchanan and veteran striker Lehlonololo Majoro will leave the club at the end of the season, iDiski Times has learnt.
All three players are out of contract at the end of the season, and they have been informed by the club general manager Tshepiso Mofokeng that their contracts won’t be renewed.
The players have been deemed surplus to requirements, with an AmaZulu source saying Buchanan and Majoro were key in the sacking of coach Benni McCarthy and Brandon Truter respectively as they lead a dressing room mutiny.
Instead of sacking the coach this time, things have changed and AmaZulu have learnt that they caused division within Usuthu camp and the club is regretting the decision to let those coaches go because of a select group of players.
Buchanan joined Usuthu at the beginning of last season after Ernst Middendorp deemed him surplus to requirement in the second half of the 2020/21 season at Maritzburg United.
Veteran Majoro, 36, joined Usuthu ahead of the 2019/20 season after he also couldn’t see eye to eye with Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt, but he has been a shadow of himself this season with one goal in 14 appearances.
Mphahlele joined Usuthu just after this season started after leaving Kaizer Chiefs at the end of last term.
Previously, iDiski Times was informed that Usuthu were keen to extend Mphahlele’s contract beyond this season, but coach Romain Folz has had a change of heart on him – not to give him a new deal.
“Majoro, Keagan Buchanan and Ramahlwe – their contracts come to an end at the end of the season and they have been informed that the club will not exercise options on their contracts,” said the source.
“We will not enter into a new contract with them. These are excellent players, senior players who have done well, especially Majoro has done a lot for AmaZulu over the years.
“Others have really had a brief stint with the team, but they have put a hell of an effort for AmaZulu. These are part of Fohloza’s plans.”
However, according to the source, Fohloza won’t be sacked and is part of the long-term planning with Usuthu after signing a new three-year deal a few weeks ago. But results have not mirrored the new deal that will come into effect at the end of the season.
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Folz was appointed in October last year on a short-term deal, after the departure of Truter. He took Usuthu to the MTN8 final for the first time since 1978.
But they lost 1-0 to Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the same month he took over.
However, since AmaZulu confirmed that Folz has been handed what has been termed as a “bizarre” three-year deal before the season finished, has won only one game of five, losing the last two matches – in the Nedbank Cup last 16 to Dondol Stars and Stellenbosch respectively.
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
