The Stars player appeared before the Safa disciplinary committee on the charges yesterday. 

“Our lawyer is in Johannesburg for the case,” said a source at the South African Institute for Drug-free Sport yesterday, confirming the hearing was held. 

At this stage it is not clear what substance Thebakang  tested positive for.   The last time the left-back played  for his club was in a substitute appearance in December when Stars lost 2-1 to Bidvest Wits. 

It is three years since a Premier Soccer League player has tested positive for a prohibited substance.  

But since the Absa Premiership resumed after the Africa Cup of Nations, players from several clubs  have been subject to seemingly random urine tests and the  samples analysed.  
Lucky Maselesele, then playing for Maritzburg United,  and Ajax Cape Town’s  Denzyl Bruwer were  banned three years ago for testing positive for banned substances.

Maselesele tested positive for the prohibited   substance  benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, and  banned for two years. while Bruwer’s positive A and B  samples for methamphetamine – the drug called “Tik” in this country – earned him the same punishment as Maselesele.

 Thebakang is likely to face similar sanctions should the findings be confirmed.