Kaizer Chiefs have axed two of their DStv Diski Challenge stars, with the reasons for their release now revealed.
The two players in question are Puso Dithejane and Omega Mdaka. Both players were vital cogs in the club’s reserve side.
In fact, Mdaka was appointed captain of the Amakhosi DDC side at the start of this season, while Dithejane featured for Bafana Bafana in the COSAFA Senior Men’s tournament earlier this year.
Dithejane, who has shone in the DDC at right-back for Amakhosi, was one of six Chiefs players from the reserve side to join the first team for pre-season training.
The fate of the two became clear recently when they had to watch a DDC friendly match from the sidelines. That was followed up by a meeting with all academy coaching staff and the players on Thursday.
SN24 has established the reasons behind Chiefs’ shock decision to let go of two of their promising talents.
WHY DITHEJANE AND MDAKA ARE BEING LET GO
Dithejane was released due to alleged lack of discipline. The 19-year-old was allegedly caught attempting to steal at a shop in Naturena. The club’s management was called after the incident, and internal disciplinary action was undertaken.
He was also allegedly found to have put some harmful substance in the food of a teammate. The teammate became ill and had to be hospitalised, but thankfully made a full recovery. Following the incident, the club had to apologise to the family of the affected player.
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Recently, when Chiefs hosted AmaZulu FC in a Carling Knockout encounter, where they lost 1-0, several DDC players demanded payment from the club to be ball retrievers.
While the rest of the players apologised, Dithejane and Mdaka asked to be released by the club. The talented left-back, Mdaka, also aged 19, had previously indicated to the DDC technical team that he wanted to leave.
The club has reportedly decided not to stand in the way of the duo and are set to finalise their exit on Tuesday. Indications are that the two are on the radar of DStv Premiership teams and look likely to pursue their careers elsewhere.
The release of these two players comes as a surprise to many Chiefs fans. However, the club would have sent a stern message to their academy players, particularly about indiscipline.
The player’s actions are a betrayal of the club’s values and a disgrace to the sport. He has let himself, his teammates, and his fans down. It is hoped that this incident will serve as a wake-up call to other players and that they will learn from the player’s mistakes.
When contacted for comment, the club said it preferred to keep the matter internally.