Saleng Becomes Eighth Player To Swap Pirates For Sundowns
Monnapule Saleng has become the eighth player in the PSL era to leave Orlando Pirates and join rivals Mamelodi Sundowns — a move that has proven difficult for supporters to accept given the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
What these transfers have often had in common is that the players involved typically departed the Soweto giants after falling out of favour with either club management or the head coach.
Saleng was loaned out by Pirates in the first half of the season to Orbit College after Sportswire was informed that he would no longer feature for the club again.
This publication later learned that Kaizer Chiefs, Pirates’ bitter rivals, were keen to sign the former PSL Players’ Player of the Season. However, Sundowns won the race for his signature on Friday, leaving Pirates supporters baffled as to why the situation was not resolved internally, given Saleng’s importance to the team.
Saleng was renowned for delivering on big occasions and consistently troubling both Chiefs and Sundowns whenever he was in form.
He was instrumental in major cup finals, particularly in the MTN8 tournaments of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. One of his standout performances came in the MTN8 semi-final second leg of the 2022/23 campaign in Polokwane, where he tormented Sundowns, contributing to all three goals as Pirates cruised to a 3-0 victory.
Saleng first assisted former Sundowns player Kermit Erasmus, who scored from close range, before completing a stunning brace of his own. That defeat prompted Sundowns to appoint Rulani Mokwena as head coach.
Saleng also played a decisive role in Pirates’ Nedbank Cup triumph in the 2022/23 season, setting up the winning goal against Sekhukhune United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Earlier in the same campaign, he scored a dipping free-kick to help Pirates secure the MTN8 title against AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
In the following season, the 2023/24 campaign, Saleng once again rose to the occasion. He scored the equaliser in the MTN8 final against Stellenbosch, paving the way for Pirates’ victory in Durban.
In the Nedbank Cup final against Sundowns later that season at Mbombela Stadium, with the match locked at 1-1, Saleng delivered a pinpoint cross in the dying minutes to set up Relebohile Mofokeng. The youngster calmly rolled the ball through Bongani Zungu’s legs before slotting it past Ronwen Williams to secure the trophy.
Saleng’s departure has left Pirates fans deeply hurt, compounded by the club’s brief and somewhat peculiar farewell message: “Thank you, Monnapule Saleng!”
Saleng now joins a list of players who have made the controversial switch from Pirates to Sundowns. Tyrene Arendse was the first to do so in the 2006/07 season, reuniting with former coach Gordon Igesund after their league success at Santos.
The late Gift Leremi followed in the 2007/08 season. A product of Pirates’ development system, Leremi’s exit was reportedly due to ongoing issues with club management.
Ahead of the 2009/10 season, Innocent Mdledle and Lebohang Mokoena also crossed the divide.
One of the most high-profile transfers occurred during the second half of the 2010/11 season, when Teko Modise left Pirates after falling out with then coach Ruud Krol.
Former fan favourite Oupa Manyisa, who was instrumental in Pirates’ double treble success and scored a memorable goal in the 2011/12 MTN8 final against Kaizer Chiefs, joined Sundowns in the 2017/18 season.
Thembinkosi Lorch, the PSL Footballer of the Season in 2018/19, became the most recent high-profile departure before Saleng, leaving Pirates in the second half of the 2023/24 season after being lured by then Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena.
However, Lorch struggled to make an impact at Sundowns and was loaned to Wydad Casablanca last season, where he reunited with Mokwena. His move has since been made permanent by the Moroccan giants.
Although such transfers from Pirates to Sundowns remain rare, each has left a deep sense of disappointment and resentment among Orlando Pirates supporters.
