Mahlangu Exposes Dark Side of Local Football

Albert ‘Bashin’ Mahlangu has lifted the lid on what he believes is a darker side of the local game, claiming that loss of form and recurring injuries among top players are sometimes fuelled by teammates using muti against one another.

The Orlando Pirates legend, who wore the Buccaneers shirt for more than a decade, says the pressure to succeed at the highest level can push players into turning on their own colleagues.

“Don't be fooled by people making noise, it's tough on the pitch. I played for Pirates, and it wasn't easy,” Mahlangu told KickOff, before pointing directly at current situations at his former club.

“Where are they?”

He didn’t speak in generalities. He named names.

“For example, at Pirates, where is Andre Jong? Where is Kabelo Dlamini?

“Evidence Makgopa too, a player I knew very well, that he would always score if introduced in the second half, but he has disappeared.

“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,” he asked.

For Mahlangu, those sudden dips are not just about tactics or confidence. He believes muti is at play – and not always in a way that benefits the team.

Muti as a weapon

Mahlangu is not against the use of traditional medicine in football. Far from it. He insists it has always been part of the game, but says its purpose has been twisted.

“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.”

He widened the lens beyond Pirates and pointed to another Soweto giant.

“Kaizer Chiefs have five left-backs on the injury list. How is that possible?”

To him, such patterns raise red flags. Not just bad luck. Not just poor conditioning. Something else.

“Protect your gear”

Mahlangu urged current professionals to take spiritual protection as seriously as they do their physical conditioning, warning that the dressing room itself can be a battleground.

“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.

“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.

“When was the last time Tapelo Xoki played a match? Sihle Nduli had just returned from injury, but suddenly he’s injured again.”

For Mahlangu, those repeated setbacks are not simply coincidence. They are warnings.

“Something is wrong”

The 62-year-old contrasted the modern era with his own playing days, painting a picture of a time when, in his view, such issues were far less common.

“Such things were not common during our time.

“I played for Pirates for 12 years. In that period, I only had one ankle injury.

“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.

“Nowadays, players get injured at training and stay out for six months.

“Imagine six months out? Something is wrong.

“So, players, please protect yourself. Use something.”

In a league where careers can turn in a single season, Mahlangu’s warning lands like a challenge: in a sport obsessed with tactics, stats and sports science, how many players will still turn to unseen forces to safeguard their future?