What should have been a period mired in hope and excitement for Makazole Mapimpi has turned into somewhat of a nightmare.

The veteran finds himself on the end of a five-match suspension following a red card in the 55th minute after a dangerous tackle on Ulster full-back Michael Lowry at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday.

The incident was judged to have breached law 9.18, which states: “A player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground.”

The judicial officer, Sheriff Catherine Mackie, determined that the incident met the red card threshold and that the entry point for the offense was six weeks. In mitigation, Mapimpi’s acknowledgment and acceptance of foul play resulted in a five-match suspension. 

The suspension covers five matches, meaning Mapimpi will miss the following fixtures:

● Sharks v Scarlets on 25 October 2025

● South Africa v Japan on 1 November 2025

● France v South Africa on 8 November 2025

● Italy v South Africa on 15 November 2025

● Ireland v South Africa on 22 November 2025

Mapimpi has had two red cards previously in 2023 and earlier in 2025, which worked against him.

This setback marks a turning point for Mapimpi, who now faces a challenge to bounce back with a level of professionalism, hopefully re-establish himself in the Springbok setup, and avoid further setbacks.

Article by Riaz Hamed