With Mpho Makola’s contract coming to an end in June at Cape Town City, the midfielder faces an uncertain future after receiving a two-month ban from the Premier Soccer League disciplinary committee (PSL DC).

The Citizens chairman John Comitis confirmed to Sowetan yesterday that Makola was hit with a two-month ban, which Sowetan has learnt will kick in when the DStv Premiership matches resume next month.

He will miss six matches for the Citizens, five in the league and one in the Nedbank Cup away to Royal AM. The matches could be more, provided City progress to the next round of the competition. 

Makola should be eligible to play on April 3 against Baroka. 

His ban comes after the midfielder was charged and found guilty of manhandling assistant referee Cladwin Baloyi during their MTN8 final penalty shootout defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in October.

Although Comitis revealed that they would support the veteran midfielder during his ban, he could not say if they would renew his contract beyond June.

“Makola is suspended for two months, so we told him that we will see how things go [about his contract] after his suspension,” Comitis told Sowetan yesterday.

“We will support him through his suspension and continue to pay him. I do look after my boys.”

Makola, alongside goalkeeper Hugo Marques, were unhappy with the assistant referee for not raising his flag after Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango appeared to have moved off his goal line during a kick from the penalty mark last year.

The midfielder was involved in a similar incident of charging at a match official in 2019 and was found guilty by the PSL disciplinary committee of manhandling referee Abongile Tom after their Telkom Knockout match against Kaizer Chiefs. Then, he was handed a lengthy six-month ban which was reduced to just four matches on appeal.

With this being the 35-year-old's second incident, the Citizens may opt against renewing his contract beyond June.

Meanwhile, after selling Bradley Ralani to Mamelodi Sundowns recently, Comitis also confirmed that they are interested in Promise Mkhuma, but not on a loan deal.

The Sundowns left-winger could be a possible replacement for Ralani should they agree on a permanent move.

“We are having a look now at this January window period to see what we have and see how Khanyiso Mayo steps up into that position, so we are still debating it,” Comitis said.

“We have not decided yet on what we are going to do. We are also interested in Promise, but at this stage, we need to make sense because it will be a loan deal.”