Polokwane City have decided against keeping four experienced campaigners following their relegation to the first division.
Rise and Shine are now cutting costs – including a reduced offer made to former coach Clinton Larsen that was rejected – as they plan to start afresh in the GladAfrica Championship.
READ: Polokwane part ways with Larsen
According to an insider, only the players that still have existing contracts will be allowed back into the squad on 15 September.
"All of us who still have existing contracts, we will meet on the 15th, but those whose contracts are finished, it's over for them," the source tells snl24.com/kickoff.
Star midfielder Jabulani Maluleke, Zimbabwean goalkeeper George Chigova as well as defenders Simphiwe Hlongwane and Sibusiso Mbonani will thus all be released.
Contacted for confirmation, the club's chief operations officer Tincy Tema confirms the developments.
"The club has been relegated, which means we have now downgraded, so basically there's going to be a lot of changes, starting with the contracts," Tema says.
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"We will be looking at the contracts of players and those whose contracts have expired, I don't think we'll have them back. Unless if maybe the technical team might say something about the same player.
"But the likes of Hlongwane, Maluleke and George, as far as I know they are now history at Polokwane City."
Meanwhile, trusted defender Mbonani is believed to be on his way to TS Galaxy, whose owner Tim Sukazi is also from the village of KwaNdebele in Kwaggafontein.
"No comment on this one," replies the player when asked if there was a possibility of him playing for The Rockets next season.
"I've been with Polokwane City since 2015, now I don't have a team."
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