Tzaneen United boss Dennus Mafologela
By: Refilwe Sebola
ABC Motsepe League side, Tzaneen United has swiftly addressed rumors suggesting that the club is up for sale.
Club chairman Dennus Mafologela has firmly denied the claims that he is secretly negotiating a sale, asserting that his focus is on strengthening the squad to make a serious push for the league championship this coming season.
“There is no truth to those rumors. I am not selling this club,” Mafologela said. “On the contrary, we are preparing to compete for the league. People may have assumed something was wrong because our preseason has been quieter than in previous years. In the past, we spent a lot on participating in too many tournaments, but this year our strategy has changed.”
According to Mafologela, the club’s official preseason will kick off late in September, with the recruitment of quality players at the heart of their preparations. The club aims to sign at least eight Under-23 players to strengthen the squad following the departure of several key players to higher divisions last season.
“Games are won by players, not just coaches,” Mafologela explained. “A coach is like a teacher—if the students are not good, there is nothing he can do. That’s why we are focused on quality. We will also add one more coach to the technical team this year, but our core technical staff from last season will remain in place.”
He also dismissed speculation about the club’s interest in bringing back former head coach Peace Khosa, under whom Tzaneen United previously won the league title but fell short in the provincial playoffs.
When asked about criticisms from pundits who claimed that United struggled last season due to the strength of Stream A, Mafologela disagreed. Instead, he pointed to the loss of key players as the primary reason for their underwhelming performance.
“We lost very important players and failed to replace them,” he admitted. “Lefa ‘Toy’ Aphane went to the then-PSL side Cape Town City, Terry Sekgobela and Brendon ‘Benza’ Baloyi joined Venda FC, Calton ‘Mashumba’ Masedi moved to Bahumi FC, and Siyabonga Vilani signed with Baroka. That’s why we could not compete at the level we wanted.”
However, the club will benefit from the return of David ‘Sefako’ Matlala, who previously played for Casric Stars and is set to rejoin United this season. Mafologela believes his experience and leadership will be crucial as they aim to restore their competitive edge.
With restructuring, targeted recruitment, and a renewed focus on quality over quantity, Tzaneen United is determined to silence their doubters and emerge as genuine contenders for the ABC Motsepe League crown this season.