Orlando Pirates Legend Albert Mahlangu Urges PSL Players to Use Muti for Protection

Orlando Pirates legend Albert ‘Bashin’ Mahlangu has urged Premier Soccer League footballers to use traditional protection, warning that teammates are actively deploying muti to sabotage rivals’ careers and form. According to interviews published on 18 August 2026, the former 12-year Buccaneers veteran advised players to safeguard their personal gear in the dressing room.

Mahlangu Raises Dressing Room Alarms Over Form and Injuries

Mahlangu’s comments, reported by KickOff and detailed by Briefly News and The South African, highlight what he describes as a harsh and unseen reality inside top-flight football clubs. The former striker stated that players often face immense external pressure while dealing with internal dressing room challenges that supporters never witness.

According to Mahlangu, professional footballers should take direct precautions to secure their equipment. As he told KickOff, in reporting highlighted by Briefly News, players must protect their soccer boots and kitbags with their own methods to neutralize interference from teammates.

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.

Albert Mahlangu via KickOff and Briefly News

The former forward clarified that he views traditional protection as a defensive measure rather than an offensive weapon. He argued that players should utilize muti constructively to enhance their own performances and help their squads win matches rather than destroy colleagues.

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. If I am destroyed, how are we supposed to play? You need 11 players on the pitch to form a team.

Albert Mahlangu via The South African

Impact on Orlando Pirates and Squad Depth

Mahlangu pointed directly to sudden downturns in player performance at Orlando Pirates as evidence of underlying trouble within the camp. He specifically noted the trajectory of Yanela Mbuthuma, who arrived from Richards Bay following a prolific scoring run.

According to reporting from Briefly News, Mahlangu questioned the sudden halt in Mbuthuma’s output alongside the quiet periods experienced by teammates such as Andre Jong, Kabelo Dlamini, Tshegofatso Mabasa, and Evidence Makgopa.

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.

Albert Mahlangu via Briefly News

Beyond attacking form, Mahlangu raised alarm bells regarding an unusual volume of training injuries that sideline players for extended periods. As noted by The South African, he contrasted current physical setbacks with his own playing era, questioning how lengthy six-month absences have become so frequent. He also pointed to rival clubs, noting that Kaizer Chiefs currently list five left-backs on their injury list. Buccaneers figures such as Tapelo Xoki and Sihle Nduli have similarly faced difficult spells on the sidelines.

Fixture Congestion and Upcoming Schedule

These cautionary warnings arrive as Orlando Pirates navigate a punishing fixture schedule across multiple domestic and continental competitions. The Soweto giants now face overlapping commitments in the MTN8, Betway Premiership, and the CAF Champions League. The Buccaneers are scheduled to face Sekhukhune United in the MTN8 semi-final before opening their CAF Champions League campaign against La Cure Waves in September, placing heavy demands on available squad depth as injury concerns persist.