After a failed Deadline Day move, Keletso Makgalwa finds himself in the unenviable position of having to prove his commitment to Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler. FARPost can reveal Siwelele FC pushed to sign the talented winger on Thursday’s Deadline Day, but were unsuccessful.
Although he has been a key player since joining Sekhukhune, his future at the club seems increasingly uncertain. Makgalwa’s recent trajectory under Tinkler suggests a relationship that has chilled.
The stats from his debut season remain a testament to his quality. He has made 51 appearances, scoring six goals and providing 17 assists.
In fact, in his maiden season with the club – 2024/25 – he scored six goals and 11 assists, establishing himself as a top-tier creator. Despite this pedigree, in the last two games, he had a second-half cameo against Orlando Pirates and was on the bench against his former side, Mamelodi Sundowns.
WHAT ERIC TINKLER HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID ABOUT MAKGALWA
“We’ve made Keletso aware we would never stand in his way of getting a better contract somewhere else,” Tinkler noted earlier in the season. He was responding to links suggesting that the 29-year-old was on Kaizer Chiefs’ radar. Former Amakhosi coach Nasreddine Nabi was a known admirer of the player.
To get back into Tinkler’s starting XI, Makgalwa must convince Tinkler that the failed Siwelele move hasn’t left him ‘checked out’ or demotivated.
Tinkler will be hoping to secure maximum points when he guides his charges against TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday. Having lost to Sundowns in stoppage time during the week, Tinkler will be eager to get a win.
But he faces a Galaxy time that’s also under pressure to bounce back to winning ways. They lost 3-2 to Amazulu last Sunday, having led twice at Moses Mabhida. A win for Babina Noko keeps them in contention for a top-four finish, which comes with participation in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Rockets, currently seventh, have the same motivation as a win would see them leapfrog Sekhukhune.
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