As one of their many ways to ensure that the team is ready for the coming season, Black Leopards have released five players.

Three of the offloaded players are defenders, while the other two are a midfielder and a goalkeeper. The three defenders whose relationship with Lidoda Duvha came to an end at the end of last season are Kaizer Montsi, Junior Sekete and Nono Lubunzadio.

According to the general manager of the team, Mr Samuel Khaphathe, Sekete and Montsi were still contracted to the club when the management took a decision to terminate their contracts. Khaphathe stated that the duo’s contracts were terminated after the team’s head coach, Vladislav Heric, indicated that they were not in his future plans.

According to Khaphathe, Lubunzadio, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s international’s contract expired at the end of last season and they did not renew it, saying his services were no longer needed. The other player whose relationship with Black Leopards came to an end is Christopher “Matari” Netshidzivhe.

Netshidzivhe is currently at loggerheads with Black Leopards over a wage dispute. According to Netshidzivhe, the club owes him three months´ salary after the club terminated his contract three months prior to its expiry date. Khaphathe further revealed that Ayanda Mtshali, who was their regular goalkeeper during the last half of the past season, has been loaned to Free State Stars for one season.

When asked about their new signees, Mr Khaphathe said that they were still finalizing some paper work with a number of clubs and that they would make an announcement in a matter of days. He further stated that the team will resume with its normal training next Thursday, July 15.

He said that they decided to give the players a break for six weeks after realizing that the players had been overworked last season. He was referring to the promotional playoff matches and the Nedbank Cup matches that kept the players busy over and above the league matches.