The Absa Premiership resumes tomorrow night with a full list of fixtures, but Chiefs will miss Tshabalala, who has been crucial to the team's title-winning ambitions this season.
The Bafana midfielder suffered an injury at training at the weekend. While watching his team prepare for tomorrow's away match against Cosmos at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium from the sidelines, he confirmed he could miss the club's next three games.
"I think I will be out for a week or so. I hope the injury is not that serious and I will be back soon," said Tshabalala.
Tshabalala, who signed a three-year contract extension with Chiefs last month, will have to wait a bit longer to prove his new commitment to Amakhosi.
Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic said Tshabalala's injury was a blow, but he hopes to reduce the player's absence to only two games.
"He's definitely out for the Cosmos game and we will miss him. It will be a miracle to have him against Swallows [on Saturday].
"I will push the team doctors to make sure he is ready for the Wits game [on February 28]," said the coach.
Chiefs are already without Reneilwe Letsholonyane, who is out for the rest of the season, but Vermezovic believes there are suitable replacements.
The coach slammed his team's performance in the first half of the season, saying that while the defence had improved, the rest of the squad must improve to win their first league title in six years.
Chiefs are joint second on the log with Supersport United, while Mamelodi Sundowns are three points clear at the top.
"We are very close to Sundowns and we know we have competition with Supersport and Orlando Pirates, but we are ready for the battle," Vermezovic said.
"I hope we will celebrate on the open team bus in Soweto with the league title in our hands in May."
The coach, who is in the last year of his contract at Chiefs, also received the backing of club management yesterday.
"There has been no plans for a new coach and we are definitely not talking to Steve Komphela [Free State Stars coach]," said Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung.
"Coach VV is here for the rest of the season to focus on the success of the club."
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