The Great CAPS Sale

switch to Moroka Swallows with the Warriors right back yesterday inking a three-year deal with the South African Premiership side.
Mapemba had been on a trial stint at the Dube Birds in the last two weeks after initially leaving the country to try his luck at Platinum Stars.

The defender, who was born on July 26 1985, however, caught the eye of Moroka Swallows coach Gordon Igesund during the Johannesburg club’s pre-season training, which included a four-team tournament in which Mapemba was outstanding on the right side of defence.
And yesterday, Swallows announced that they had taken Mapemba on board with the Warriors right back joining fellow Zimbabwean Oscar Machapa on the Dube Birds’ books.

Mapemba becomes the seventh CAPS United player to move to a South African club inside a year with the trio of Method Mwanjali, Lionel Mtizwa and Nyasha Mushekwi having gone to Mamelodi Sundowns in July last year.
During the same period, winger Tafadzwa Rusike, and Machapa joined Ajax Cape Town and Swallows respectively.

Last month youth international striker Simba Sithole was snapped up by Sundowns.
Yesterday, it was Mapemba’s turn to join his former teammates in the trek down to the Super Diski when he celebrated his birthday by signing a contract with Moroka Swallows.
With Igesund looking to beef up the defence for the upcoming 2011-2012 Premiership campaign, Mapemba is regarded as the man who might just be an answer to the Swallows’ prayers given his experience in the game.

Veteran coach Igesund also spoke highly of Mapemba.
“He is a versatile football player who is a very talented overlapping fullback and his skills will assist the Dube Birds to play out from the back,” said the Moroka Swallows coach.
Mapemba had been with CAPS United since 2008 and won three cup titles with them and was also a member of Sunday Chidzambwa’s Warriors that clinched the 2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup on home soil.

Moroka Swallows are also happy to have secured the services of an experienced defender of Mapemba’s calibre.
“The club is delighted to have another top quality player joining the squad, we wish him a warm welcome to the Nest,” the club said.
CAPS United chief executive Maxwell Mironga, in confirming the sale of Mapemba, revealed that the Premiership giants were also happy to have a positive story emerging from their camp after a turbulent fortnight.

Makepekepe have, in the last two weeks, parted ways with coach Moses Chunga, been dragged before the PSL disciplinary committee for the violent behaviour of their fans against Gunners and are still struggling to find their touch again having gone six matches without a win, five of them in the league.
“We finally reached an agreement with Swallows and I can safely say Gilbert Mapemba is gone on a permanent transfer.

“It is a positive development for the club especially in view of what we have been going through with the incidents of hooliganism tarnishing our image and our team struggling for form.
“But this development shows that, as CAPS United, we are still a respected brand in football.
“We wish Gilbert well as he goes to a bigger league, bigger in terms of remuneration, the standards there and the facilities, as you know South Africa have the seventh richest league in the world.

“We believe this could be a stepping stone for Gilbert to move to the European leagues because he has the talent and the experience.
“We are also happy that, in a short space of time, as CAPS United we have managed to sell no less than eight players considering that Khama Billiat also passed through us but we have still remained competitive,” Mironga said.

Mapemba’s manager Edzai Kasinauyo said the defender’s move was the product of a patient two-year exercise by the player and his management to secure him a deal outside the country.
Kasinauyo, who facilitated the transfers of Machapa and Rusike, also heaped praise on CAPS United and said Mapemba’s move was “another testimony of the great work that is being done at CAPS United”.

The former Swallows and Warriors midfielder said he was hopeful that Mapemba would be able to showcase the kind of talent and determination that had seen him become the only local on-field player to command a regular place in a Zimbabwe senior side that is often dominated by foreign-based professionals.

“We are happy that we have managed to conclude a deal and we hope that he will live up to expectations and show that he is a talented player.
“This also shows the good work that is being done at CAPS United because Gidza is the latest of the many players to move from the club to South African teams.

“He has moved at a good age and his experience comes in handy for him because when you consider that he is the only local player to play regularly in the Warriors then it shows that he deserved this move.
“We have been working on Gidza for the last two years and patience by the player and the management have paid off.

“I hope he will also revive the great combination he had at CAPS United with Oscar Machapa,” Kasinauyo said.
While Mapemba was securing his move to South Africa, forgotten former Dynamos winger David Shoko was also making waves for Mozambique’s perennial continental football campaigners Costa Do Sol.

Shoko grabbed a hat-trick to propel his team to victory in a league match at the weekend that saw Costa Do Sol move into third place with 33 points, seven behind leaders and defending champions Liga Muculmana.

The former DeMbare winger has now scored six goals for his club and is reportedly rated as one of the best foreigners in the Mozambican top-flight.

Shoko, speaking from his base in Mozambique yesterday, however revealed that he still missed the “glory days at Dynamos” where he is fondly remembered for his wonder strike off a free kick that helped DeMbare beat Zamalek of Egypt 1-0 and secure a place in the 2008 Champions League semi-finals.

“I have settled down well and I am still playing out wide on the left wing.
“We are only in third place because of inferior goal difference but we have the same number of points with Maxaquene.

“There is still a lot to play for and we are still in the running for the championship. Although I have adapted to playing in the league here and enjoying it, I still miss my blue and white team and the supporters in the Vietnam end,” Shoko said.