Lamontville Golden Arrows has terminated the contract of goalkeeper Siyabonga Mbatha with immediate effect.
The 34-year-old starting place was not guaranteed under co-coaches – Mabhuti Khenyeza and Vusi Vilakazi in the side this season.
This after Arrows signed Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ismail Watenga on loan and the Ugandan international looks home in the side, having played both matches so far this season, in which Arrows drew and won.
That has led the club to let go Mbatha, who joined Arrows from AmaZulu ahead of the 2021//22 season.
Sifiso Mlungwana is now the understudy to Watenga, with the former having shared the posts with Mbatha last season.
Mbatha, who was heavily linked in the past to Orlando Pirates, only featured in six matches in all competitions, including the win over Kaizer Chiefs at Peter Mokaba Stadium in February and the 2-1 win over Pretoria Callies in the first round of the Nedbank Cup.
In that match against Callies, Vilakazi was impressed with the commandment of Mbatha in goals which led to him being in goals in the following match – the win over Chiefs, which Vilakazi made it known to the media afterwards that he will start.
There are options from Mbatha to stay in KwaZulu-Natal as Richards Bay is considering signing him.
The source close to Bay told this publication that the signing of Jackson Mabokgwane is being reconsidered and talks of a potential three-month settlement being discussed with the view of then signing Mbatha as Salim Mogoola’s understudy.
Mbatha made his name with Thanda Royal Zulu, winning the Motsepe Foundation Championship with the late coach Roger Sikhakhane in the 2016/17 season.
As Thanda’s top-flight status was sold to AmaZulu in the 2017/18 season, Mbatha was signed along with Jabulani Ncobeni and spent six seasons with Usuthu, before leaving in 2021.
He was there when Usuthu under coach Benni McCarthy finished second in the 2020/21 season, the club’s highest position in the PSL era.
But he lost his place as soon as Usuthu signed Veli Mothwa from Chippa United in November 2020.
