September: Key Players To Depart At Season’s End
Chippa United coach Thabo September has confirmed that several key players will leave the club at the end of the season.
The list of departing players may include Nigerian goalkeeper and club captain Stanley Nwabali, and highly-rated midfielder Sinoxolo Kwayiba, both of whom have attracted interest from other clubs.
Nwabali, a full Nigerian international, played a crucial role in his country’s journey to the Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast earlier last year. Kwayiba, signed from Pretoria Callies at the start of last season, also earned a national team call-up during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers late last year.
The 25-year-old Kwayiba is Chippa’s leading goal scorer in the league, with six goals in 19 matches, followed by Bienvenu Eva Nga with three. Despite Nga’s lower goal tally, it is not anticipated that he will leave the club.
Andile Jali, who joined Chippa in the off-season, has struggled with fitness issues. Although the former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder has scored two goals in 11 league matches, he has not featured since coming on as an 89th-minute substitute for Kwayiba in their 2-0 away victory against Cape Town City in February.
There is a strong possibility that Jali may be released at the end of the season.
“We will lose players, but we will definitely keep the core of the team,” said September. “It’s football. When you want to build a team, you sometimes sell your best players and invest in younger talent to maintain stability. We will lose a few players and rebuild in those positions, but we will retain the majority of the squad.”
One player who will be leaving Chippa is Siphelo Baloni, who joined on loan from Orlando Pirates at the start of the season.
He was absent for undisclosed reasons during their goalless draw against Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership on Saturday.
Following the draw, Chippa maintained their ambitions of a top-eight finish, sitting ninth in the league table with 29 points from 22 matches.
They are just one point behind eighth-placed Kaizer Chiefs, whom they are scheduled to host in two weeks.
