By Sibusiso Masilela
Mbabane Highlanders playmaker Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze has surged closer towards securing an international move.
The ex-Polokwane City player is set to pen a two-year contract with Tanzania Premier League side Tabora United.
The East African outfit has agreed to sign the player three days into his one-week assessment.
The deal has been stalled by Tabora United pending FIFA transfer ban.
The player representative Alimas Bin Saleh confirmed the news when contacted.
“We are just finalising a few logistics of the deal and Tabora has agreed to give the player a two-year contract.
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Everything will be done and dusted once the club gets cleared by FIFA on the recent ban, as they have sorted their pending issues with the world governing body,” he said.
He started training with Tabora United on Monday Where he reunited with former Mbabane Swallows defender Kingu Pemba who is in the books of the Tanzania premier league side.
He was part of the Highlanders squad that reached the semifinals of the 2023/24 SMVAF Ingwenyama Cup.
He has previously played for several South African teams such as Jomo Cosmos and Mbombela United in South Africa.
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He is set to become the country’s fifth international player after Mxolisi Mkhonto (Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana), Banele’Stiga’ Ndzabandzaba (Botswana Defence XI), Justice Figareido (Richards Bay, South Africa) and Lindo Mkhonta (Zesco United, Zambia).
He has a couple of Sihlangu caps under two former coaches Peter De Jongh and Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga.
