Mahlangu Exposes Muti Use Among Pirates Teammates
Orlando Pirates great Albert “Bashin” Mahlangu has lifted the lid on what he believes lies behind the sudden loss of form and recurring injuries haunting some of South Africa’s biggest clubs: teammates allegedly using muti against one another.
Mahlangu, who wore the famous black and white for more than a decade, says the pressure of the professional game has twisted some players’ priorities to the point where they are willing to sabotage their own dressing room.
“Don’t be fooled by people making noise, it’s tough on the pitch. I played for Pirates, and it wasn’t easy,” he told KickOff, before turning his attention to the current squad.
He didn’t speak in generalities. He named names.
“At Pirates, where is Andre Jong? Where is Kabelo Dlamini?” he asked.
He then highlighted Evidence Makgopa, a striker he says he knew “very well”.
“Evidence Makgopa too, a player I knew very well, that he would always score if introduced in the second half, but he has disappeared.”
The pattern, in his eyes, keeps repeating.
“Yanela Mbuthuma was brought in from Richards Bay, scoring goals from left, right, and centre. He got there at Pirates, he scored and scored… all of a sudden, he has stopped scoring. Surely, there is something happening with these boys,” Mahlangu said.
“Use muti the right way”
For Mahlangu, muti itself is not the enemy. The intention behind it is.
He insists there is a place for spiritual practices in football, but only if they are used to strengthen the individual and the team, not to cut down a rival in the same colours.
“If you and I are teammates, you must use muti the right way. Use it to improve yourself and help the team win, not to destroy me,” he said. “If I am destroyed, how are we supposed to play? You need 11 players on the pitch to form a team.”
His concerns don’t stop at Pirates. He pointed to the injury crisis at Kaizer Chiefs as another red flag.
“Kaizer Chiefs have five left-backs on the injury list. How is that possible?” he asked, letting the question hang.
“Protect your boots, protect your bag”
Mahlangu’s warning to current professionals is blunt: don’t be naive.
He says fans in the stands have no idea of the unseen battles players face behind the scenes, particularly in the change room.
“It’s not easy in these teams. People scream from the stands, shouting at players, but they don’t know the many challenges players face,” he said.
His advice is practical, even ominous.
“If you are a professional footballer, use something to protect yourself. Please protect your gear – your soccer boots, kitbag with some muti of your own – so that when your teammate tries to put some muti in your bag, it doesn’t work.”
He again circled back to recent absences and setbacks as examples that, in his view, don’t quite add up.
“When was the last time Tapelo Xoki played a match? Sihle Nduli had just returned from injury, but suddenly he’s injured again.”
“In our time, such things were not common”
To underline his point, Mahlangu contrasted today’s injury trends with his own career at Pirates.
“Such things were not common during our time,” he said. “I played for Pirates for 12 years. In that period, I only had one ankle injury.”
The story of that injury is as raw as it is revealing.
“I got injured today, and the next day I was back on the pitch. Thanks to an old man who cut open my ankle and put some stuff in, and I was at training the following day.”
Now, when he looks at modern squads, the length of layoffs alarms him.
“Nowadays, players get injured at training and stay out for six months. Imagine six months out? Something is wrong.”
For Mahlangu, that “something” is not just sports science, training loads or bad luck. It’s spiritual warfare inside the camp.
His closing message to today’s stars is clear, and it carries the weight of someone who believes the game is being fought on more than just grass.
“So, players, please protect yourself. Use something.”
