Mabasa moves to Swallows, but won’t face Pirates

The Buccaneers announced early last month talks had begun between the clubs for the forward to join the Dube Birds after spending the 2022/23 campaign at Sekhukhune United  – the paperwork was finalised on Friday afternoon. 

But the public broadcaster has it on good authority Mabasa, who finished top goal scorer for Bafana Bafana at the recent COSAFA Cup in Durban three weeks ago, is ineligible for selection against Pirates. 

Swallows will face their Soweto rivals on 27 August in the first of two DStv Premiership matches for the new season, and again seven months later on 3 April at Dobsonville Stadium. 

Unless the two clubs can alter the agreement in the coming days, Mabasa will sit out those two matches, as well as any other possible cup fixtures during the season, because of the clause. 

Mamelodi Sundowns applied the same approach with their loan players to SuperSport United last season in which both goalkeeper Ricardo Goss and midfielder Grant Magerman could not play against the Brazilians. 

Swallows, now coached by Steve Komphela, will have to look to other striking options against Pirates when they face off. 

Mabasa is expected to make his debut in the Dube Birds' opening league game away to Golden Arrows on Saturday afternoon, having signed a loan agreement for the campaign. 

The same applies to defender Bongani Sam, who has also signed for Swallows on a season-long loan deal from Pirates. 

Mabasa and Sam both initially joined the Buccaneers in 2019 from the now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic, and the left-back was loaned out twice last season – first to Maritzburg United and then to the Dube Birds midway through the campaign.