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Noel Munzabwa, Sports Correspondent

FORMER Warriors’ vice-captain Cuthbert Malajila has for the first time revealed moments Mamelodi Sundowns ‘robbed’ Orlando Pirates to land his signature in 2013, resulting in a seven-season trophy laden stint that was eventually ended by two crippling injuries.

The Buccaneers, who are also known as the Sea Robbers, were victims of a robbery just when they thought they had secured the gunman.

“I was set to join Orlando Pirates and terms had been agreed only for Mamelodi Sundowns to sneak in with a better offer at the 11th hour and I was off to Pretoria. 

Looking at what I won, I have no regrets. The stay at Sundowns gave me the fame and success, adding colour to my career,” said Malajila.

Malajila started his professional football career at David Whitehead in Kadoma before joining the University of Zimbabwe and moving to Chapungu.

In what became an auction in which the KwaZulu-Natal based Team of Choice, Maritzburg United, wanted to maximise on their prized asset who had hauled 15 goals in 41 appearances, Malajila was informed in the departure lounge that his destination had changed from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

That unexpected switch yielded five Absa Premiership medals, including one at Bidvest Wits whilst on loan, and several Nedbank, MTN 8 and Telkom Cup medals.

“I must say this issue of counter offers was not new to me. First it was Highlanders outbidding Dynamos for the 2008 loan before the Harare giants turned the tables the following year. Then in 2010 having attended trials at Maritzburg who had almost agreed a deal with Chapungu, Dynamos traveled to Tunisia to play Esperance,” said Malajila.

Little did he know that Club Africain were watching the match and approached him and Dynamos officials who referred them to Chapungu and the Tunisians sealed a US$100 000 deal, but the auction drama did not end there.

“After getting wind that Club Africain had signed me, Maritzburg made a futile offer to refund them the money and continued throughout my stay making their third attempt just before I was loaned out to Libya side Al Akhdar,” he said.

Two months into the half a year loan, the Libyans prepared a bid for an outright permanent move, but just when negotiations had begun, the North African nation was thrown into turmoil after a ravaging war which left Malajila’s safety heavily exposed and he had to literally flee the country.

“Back in Zimbabwe, Chapungu as my original parent club, had to negotiate for my reverse release before loaning me back to Dynamos. Due to frustration from non-payment, Caps United were waiting in the wings ready to pounce and only an impromptu crowd funding wnaured my stay.”

Maritzburg finally successfully knocked at the door at the fourth attempt and handed him an air ticket to KwaZulu-Natal.

It seemed Malajila had felt a big breakthrough was on the way after reportedly rejecting a potential move to DRC’s FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo in a deal that would have seen him joining his former Chapungu teammate Phillip Marufu in Lubumbashi.

“Such was my football life that I had to endure lot of decision splitting moments from the infancy of my career. There was a time when I briefly relocated from Kadoma to play for University of Zimbabwe and I believe God takes us through all this to build a character in a person,” Malajila said.

After quitting Black Leopards in January this year, the 2009 Cosafa Senior Men Challenge Golden Boot winner has been confined to personal training before the COVID-19 lockdown prevented any potential move ahead of South Africa’s next season. 

@NoelMunzabwa