Defender Sandile Mthethwa has revealed that a lack of playing time at Orlando Pirates led to his decision to terminate his contract with the club.

Mthethwa said that, at the age of 27, he should be playing regularly because that is when football stars or sports people in general are at the prime of their careers.  

The 27-year-old parted ways with Pirates a few days ago and was quickly snapped up by AmaZulu.  

He was signed alongside former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bongani Zungu.  

Zungu was without a club since leaving Sundowns in June, while Mthethwa did not play a single match for Pirates this season, which led to his departure.   

“I can never be fed up with a team that made me,” said Mthethwa when asked if he was fed up at not getting chances at Pirates. 

“But it was all about the decision to say, I have lot to give and to show to the country, because I still wants to represent my country. 

“I felt like being outside and not playing was me wasting my time in football, because I’m growing, 27 years old right now, and this is when I’m supposed to play. 

“This is where I’m supposed to be a regular at the club. So, my previous home didn’t give me that opportunity so we had discussions and came to the mutual agreement, and not that Pirates terminated my contract, it was a mutual agreement.” 

During his time at Pirates, Mthethwa spent loan spells at Richards Bay and Chippa United. He made a total of 21 appearances for the Buccaneers, scoring two goals. His most memorable moment was scoring the winning goal against Kaizer Chiefs in the 2022/23 Nedbank Cup semi-final.  

Philip Ndlondlo, who is also struggling to play at Pirates, whipped a brilliant cross and Mthethwa guided it in to beat Brandon Peterson.  

Mthethwa, who will only play next month once the PSL registration is open, said that is the biggest memory he is walking away with as they ended up winning the tournament when they beat Sekhukhune United at Loftus Stadium.  

“I think the biggest memory with Pirates was winning that Nedbank Cup,” he said. 

“Most people they will think that Kaizer Chiefs’ goal is one of the best memories for me, but if we didn’t win that cup, it couldn’t mean anything.  

“I think that was the first cup that I won with Pirates that I contributed. Yes, I won the MTN8 before, but that cup means a lot to me and it is something that I will take away with at Pirates to say ‘At least I gave something to Pirates’. 

“But it wasn’t me only, but the guys played a big role in every match that we were playing in that Nedbank Cup.  

“But I wouldn’t take away that I did have a hand to put in the cup.”     

Mthethwa won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups during his time at Orlando Pirates, four of those trophies he had less input as he admitted.