The 35-year-old will have to go back to his parent club after his contract with the Chilli Boys was not renewed
Chippa United have opted against renewing Rhulani Mokwena’s short-term contract with the club.
Mokwena joined the Chilli Boys on-loan from Orlando Pirates earlier this year, and he was expected to continue until the end of the season.
However, while Chippa United chairman Siviwe Mpengesi indicated that he would like to keep Mokwena beyond his current deal, reports of uncertainty around his future emerged in the past few weeks.
Now, Chippa chiefs operations officer Lukhanyo Mzizi has confirmed the club’s decision to let Mokwena return to the Buccaneers.
“In the midst of uncertainty and in spite of everything including the announcement by the sports minister [Nathi Mthethwa], we as a club were uncertain as to when we will return to play,” Mzizi told The Herald.
According to Mzizi, Mokwena’s representatives kept asking whether or not Chippa will be retaining the young mentor.
And that’s when they made it clear they don’t intend to keep Mokwena, and therefore allowing him to go back to his parent club.
“His (Mokwena’s) representatives kept enquiring to make sure they were certain about his future, we needed to let them know.
“So, we let them know about our decision to allow the coach to return home to Orlando Pirates,” Mzizi confirmed.
Mokwena only took charge of a single competitive match for the Chilli Boys this season; a 1-1 draw away to Bidvest Wits, and this was before the season was suspended in mid-March.
Last week, Chippa United were accused of training in groups at Kings Beach in Port Elizabeth and thus breaking lockdown Level 3 regulations; the matter which both the club and the South African Football Association (Safa) confirmed to be investigating.
The Herald reports that some of the reported training sessions were conducted by Mokwena although nothing has been confirmed by either the club or the coach himself.
Other media reports had suggested that Mokwena brought divisions within the squad soon after his arrival from the Sea Robbers by informing a few senior players that they would be released.
Mokwena’s mandate was to help Chippa avoid relegation as they are currently sitting in 12th position, three points above the relegation play-off spot and a further three ahead of bottom-placed Black Leopards.
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