Maritzburg United have announced the signing of former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates midfielder Thamsanqa Sangweni.

Sangweni had been training with the Team of Choice for weeks and was being assessed by head coach Eric Tinkler and his technical team during their pre-season training.

The 30-year-old midfielder has now signed a one-year contract with the KwaZulu-Natal club.

The midfield general’s ability has never been in question, having played for two of the PSL biggest clubs including Pirates and Sundowns, as well as Chippa United, AmaZulu and Ajax Cape Town, respectively.

However, the KwaZulu-Natal-born midfielder spent the last seven months in the National First Division (NFD), featuring in six league matches for Richards Bay.

Speaking on Sangweni’s move to Maritzburg, the club’s chairman Farook Kadodia said: ‘Thami is a KwaZulu-Natal player and we felt that he deserved a platform to redeem his career in the PSL, in his home province. We are aware he’s had issues in the past, but we don’t feel it’s fair to hold that against him at this stage.

‘He appears to now be more mature than earlier in his career. He is aware that he won’t have too many more opportunities in top-flight football and we get the impression that he is determined to knuckle down and make the most of the chance we are giving him.

‘The head coach has worked with Thami before and was keen to bring him on board. We’re optimistic that under coach Eric, Thami will enjoy a successful stay at the club and that he can play an important role for us in the midfield engine room.

‘We all know what the player can do when he’s focused and firing on all cylinders; he’s a class act, and we are optimistic that this is the player Maritzburg supporters will be seeing next season.

‘He’s signed a one-year deal and we will assess the situation after that.’

Maritzburg United will begin their season on 4 August with an Absa Premiership KZN derby away to Golden Arrows.