Defender Makonese Back in Absa Premiership

The defender, who in 2011 left Orlando Pirates in unclear circumstances has joined Black Leopards, a modest Absa Premiership club currently pegged second from the bottom in the 20 team Absa Premiership with only 10 points from 15 games.

Leopards’ spokesperson Tendani Thidiela confirmed that the former Orlando Pirates defender will be registered with the club.
  “He did well during his trials and will definitely be signed by us this season. He has gone back home but will return to South Africa in time to register him when the transfer window re-opens,” Thidiela told South Africa’s football website KickOff.

The South African transfer window opens later this month.
Black Leopards are in need of a strong defence after conceding 31 goals in 15 games, not a good record for club seeking to avoid relegation.

Makonese will be returning to South Africa, the country where he first played for Santos before sealing a move to glamorous club Orlando Pirates.

At Black Leopards, Makonese will join former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa who is also a member of the technical staff. In fact, Chidzambwa was coach of the team in 2011 and led the Limpopo based side to promotion into the Premiership before the club reshuffled its technical team after a poor start to their Premiership season.

The South African club is also participating in the Caf Confederations Cup where they will face Zimbabwe’s Motor Action in the preliminary round during the weekend of February 17-19.

Leopards are in the Caf Confederations Cup after reaching the Nedbank Cup finals when playing first division soccer. Although they lost the finals to Orlando Pirates, Pirates chose to play in the Caf Champions League paving the way for Leopards to play in the less prestigious Confederations Cup.