FORMER FC Platinum midfielder Farai Madhananga is still grounded as he awaits the issuance of a work permit for him to return to action for his South African club Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM). BY FORTUNE MBELE Madhananga (25) has remained at the Limpopo-based DStv Premier League outfit, which acquired Bidvest Wits’ franchise. He was one of the players unveiled by TTM last month after the club bought The Clever Boys’ franchise, amid concerns over players’ future following the sale of the club in June. But Madhananga is yet to kick the ball for TTM in their first four games that include the MTN8 quarter-final. He confirmed to NewsDay Sport yesterday that he was yet to get a new work permit. “I’m just waiting for my work permit to be processed, then I can start playing, but so far so good for me at TTM. I have not played for a long time and as a player, you need that game time to stay afloat,” he said. Madhananga was set to re-unite with Norman Mapeza, his former coach at FC Platinum, who pulled out of the TTM deal at the last minute a few days before his unveiling after some misunderstandings with the club leadership. After the fine performance at FC Platinum in 2018 from Harare City at the beginning of the year, Madhananga was voted among the country’s 11 best players. He attracted the attention of then Bidvest Wits’ coach Gavin Hunt (now at Kaizer Chiefs) and joined the South African side in July last year. But he did not have much game time at the Clever Boys either, where he only played five games last year and did not feature in any of the games when the Absa Premier Soccer League resumed in August after it was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fellow countryman Terrence Dzvukamanja joined giants Orlando Pirates when Bidvest Wits was sold while McClive Phiri is now at Sekhukhune United which plays in the GladAfrica Championship. Madhananga was joined at TTM by goalkeeper Washington Arubi who was offloaded by SuperSport United last month. Arubi has been holding fort between the goalposts for TTM in their last three league games, including the 2-0 loss to Moroka Swallows on Wednesday.
