sportskeeda
Former Orlando Pirates player Thabo Matlaba has officially signed with Golden Arrows.
As reported by Sportswire, Matlaba joins the Arrows along with Philani Sithole after both players departed from Royal AM.
The duo was permitted to make this transition due to the fact that they had not received their salaries for over three months. According to FIFA rules, players are entitled to terminate their contracts and sign with a new club if there is a prolonged unpaid period.
Given the situations surrounding Matlaba and Sithole, it is unclear how they obtained their clearances from either the Premier Soccer League (PSL) or the South African Football Association (SAFA), especially since Royal AM’s PSL membership was rescinded after the club failed to fulfill its match obligations in the latter half of the season.
The PSL will proceed with 15 teams, and all clubs are now scheduled to play 28 matches instead of the usual 30.
Royal AM faced difficulties following a claim from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), which stated that the club owed R40 million in taxes, allegedly related to owner Shauwn Mkhize.
As a result of the freezing of MaMkhize’s assets and accounts, the club’s final match took place on December 29, where they experienced a 3-1 defeat against TS Galaxy.
At 37 years of age, Matlaba had dedicated nearly four seasons to Royal AM, participating in 86 matches, scoring six goals, and providing five assists.
Throughout his varied career, which includes time at Free State Stars, Moroka Swallows, and Black Leopards, Matlaba has appeared in 390 matches across all competitions, netting 24 goals and assisting 27 times.
This achievement is significant for a player who primarily plays as a left-back while also demonstrating proficiency in more forward positions.
Having signed with Orlando Pirates in the latter half of the 2011/12 season, Matlaba secured the league title that same year and won the Nedbank Cup in the 2013/14 season before departing in 2019.
In contrast, Philani Sithole is still at the beginnings of his career, having made only eight appearances for Royal AM.
Both Matlaba and Sithole now join Shadrack Kobedi, Sabelo Sithole, and Ayabule Maxwele as new signings for Golden Arrows.
Additional players who departed from Royal AM due to the SARS issue include defender Sbangani Zulu and attacking midfielder Mfundo Thikazi, who have both moved to Richards Bay, while Khulekani Shezi has transferred to Sekhukhune United.
According to sources at Sportswire, Ayanda Jiyane might also be joining Golden Arrows from Royal AM soon.
