Moroka Swallows chairman David Mogashoa has explained why the Soweto Giants have signed former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates midfielder Andile Jali.
The midfielder is seen as a marquee signing for the Dube Birds, who have seemingly unlocked more funds for their new project this campaign, with Mogashoa explaining Jali will add a lot of value to the club.
“This is one of the signings that is exciting me a lot,” he said on Gagasi FM.
“Because this is not just a signing, it is a player who has been around, a player who comes with a lot of experience, a player who I think can add a lot to the club, a player who the supporters are going to love, a player who is going to make sure that our supporters are getting value for money because the club’s partners will also make a lot of value in terms of merchandise that is going to be sold because this is a player who comes with a lot of experience, a person who the opponents on the field look at ‘how do we get to this guy, how do we get the ball away from this guy’.
“I’m happy to be announcing that Andile Jali will be joining Moroka Swallows, I’m happy to say that Andile Jali will be the first player to be signed by Moroka Swallows.
“AJ is the first player to be signed under ‘Moroka Swallows’. Other players were signed under ‘Swallows FC’. Questions will come what happens to those type of players, an application of transfer of business was done to move those players into Moroka Swallows but AJ is the first player to sign under Moroka Swallows.”
Mogashoa also explained that he even wanted Jali before Steve Komphela joined the club as new coach, and that he is happy he has reunited the former Sundowns duo.
“I wanted AJ when he just arrived from Europe, he had just arrived at his club and we were still in the GladAfrica Championship then,” he added.
“But he is not a GladAfrica player, he is a PSL player. So I’ve always admired AJ and when coach came I said to him ‘I want to reunite you with your son’. He said to me ‘I’m not going to saying anything’ because otherwise people will say ‘he’s bringing his own people’.
“I always believed that AJ will add a lot of value to Moroka Swallows and happy that we’re finally reunited.”
