Mkhwanazi banks on 'vila' staying put at wits

Bidvest Wits vice-captain Buhle Mkhwanazi is confident star midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi will stay at the club for at least one more season despite recent reports linking him with a move away from the Clever Boys.

Vilakazi was on the score sheet in the 2-0 victory over Maritzburg United in midweek and will be hoping to feature again from the start when Wits host Ajax Cape Town in the second leg of the MTN8 semifinal at Bidvest Stadium on Sunday (3pm). The clubs drew 1-1 in the first leg.

Vilakazi has been in and out of the Wits starting line-up and is said to be unhappy at the club, but Mkhwanazi said coach Gavin Hunt's decision to sometimes use the Bafana Bafana midfielder as an impact player was based purely on the opponents and conditions on match day.

Since winning the footballer of the season award in 2013-2014, Vilakazi has regressed because of injury and the fact that he can't hold down a regular spot in the starting line-up.

"As a coach, you plan according to opponents. We played away [against Ajax in the MTN8] and he [Vilakazi] started off the bench because of obvious reasons," Mkhwanazi said.

"The conditions are not [always] suitable for certain players. The same thing happened in Pretoria [against Mamelodi Sundowns]. We play according to who we are facing.

"I don't think it's possible for him to leave now," he added.