BONGANI MALUNGA
Botswana’s ABSA Premiership contingent of Mogakolodi Ngele, Lesenya Ramoraka and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe could be back in regular action by July 1 according to multiple reports. South Africa’s top tier league was halted by the Coronavirus pandemic with South Africa being the most affected African country.
The last ABSA Premiership games took place on March 11 before the lockdown, with over two months of inactivity the players have been eagerly anticipating their return to action and they could finally get their chance next month.
Many had called for the 2019/2020 season to be declared null and void or for the current standings to stand with clubs rewarded or demoted based on their latest standings, this would have been a disadvantage for Ngele as Black Leopards would have likely been relegated while still having a fighting chance to preserve their league status with six games left. With the league restarting soon, Ngele and his teammates will have a chance to save themselves from relegation, he is a multiple league winner and a relegation would put a blemish on his illustrious PSL career.
Ditlhokwe’s Supersport United are eight points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs although United are two games ahead of Chiefs. United has an outside chance of winning the league if by miraculous chances Chiefs and Sundowns could drop points while they (Supersport) stack up wins. Ramoraka’s Highlands Park are in pole position to secure the eighth spot on the log which would give them a place in next season’s MTN8 competition. Highlands Park are currently eighth on the log with a three point lead over their nearest rivals, Bloemfontein Celtic.
An official statement from the South African government, through their Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, revealed that contact and non-contact sport is allowed to resume training as of June 1st. The clubs will start a three week period of getting back to full match fitness while also undergoing multiple COVID-19 tests to ensure that the spread of the virus does not affect the clubs.