Makola believes Pirates can still win the league 

The Buccaneers are fourth in the standings – eight points behind Amakhosi who have played a game less – but with seven games to play, Makola believes they can close the gap and beat their rivals to the finish line.

READ: Kaizer Chiefs won’t be declared PSL champions early – Matthews

“To be honest I’d love for Pirates to win the league,” Makola said in an interview with SAfm on Thursday night. “It’s still possible. There are still seven or eight games to be played,” he added.

The 33-year-old made 137 appearances for the Buccaneers before he was released at the end of last season. He was quickly snapped up by City, where he has become one of the core players.

He also revealed that he spent his youth days at Amakhosi where he was in the same group as Itumeleng Khune and former star Thabiso “Skappie” Malatsi.

“I was at Kaizer Chiefs at Under 15, Under 17 and Under 19. I played with the likes of Skappie Malatsi and Itu Khune. It was a really good time there and I enjoyed playing under the late coach Ace Ntsoelengoe,” he said.

But for him, unlike the duo who went on to make names for themselves at Naturena, it was at Jazzy Queen Legodi’s Academy where Makola made his breakthrough. 

“The academy played a huge role in my career. It was at this academy where my career kick-started. I scored three free kicks in one game and Jazzy Queen put me on a bus to Free State and, after one session, Steve Komphela signed me. The rest is history,” he said.

Komphela was coach at Free State Stars at the time.