CentreCircle.online has learnt that Banyana Banyana star, Noxolo Cesane has parted ways with her Saudi Arabian employers, Eastern Flames, less than a season after joining them.
She signed a one-year contract with the Middle East outfit, and with two games remaining in the current campaign, it appears she has opted not to return.
The Saudi Arabia Premier Women’s League ends later this month.
Eastern Flames lost 5-0 to Al-Ula on Monday (14 April) with Cesane not in the team. They next face Al Ahli SC away (18 April) and will round off the 2024/2025 campaign when they host Al Ittihad (25 March).
Cesane was recently in the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad that defeated Malawi in two friendly international matches (3-0 and 2-1). She was meant to celebrate her 50th cap for the national team had she played in both games but only featured in the last of two fixtures.
This publication understands that she has not gone back to Saudi Arabia after the international break and could make a return to the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Indications are that she is done with UWC, and the midfielder has been spotted in Gauteng with TS Galaxy Ladies and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies likely destinations.
The move comes at a crucial time when she has to find a team quickly so as to be in contention for the Banyana Banyana squad in the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Morocco in July.
Cesane was part of the winning team in 2022 and will be eager to help the country defend their continental title.
Eastern Flames did not have a good season and occupy the eighth position in the 10-team league.
After 16 games, they managed only collected 12 points from 10 defeats, three wins and as many draws.
With two games remaining before the end of the season, they are in danger of relegation and are just two points clear of 11th placed Al-Amal.
Eastern Flames trail log leaders and champions elect Al Nassr by 36 points.
The Gugulethu-born midfielder left the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in September last year, shortly before the end of the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League season. But this was after she had qualified the team to their inaugural TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League – the first university to achieve the feat.
The nimble-footed player has also been on the books of Stade Reims in France as well as UANL Tigres in Mexico.
Efforts to get a comment from the Capetonian proved fruitless.
By Matlhomola Morake
