An unsettling update has emerged about one of Orlando Pirates’ once-beloved stars. The agent of Bandile Shandu, a player who once thrilled Buccaneers fans, has revealed that the defender is now actively exploring options away from the Soweto giants.
Shandu, who joined Pirates from Maritzburg United in 2021, has clocked up 110 appearances, netting 11 goals and providing five assists. Yet this season, under Abdeslam Ouaddou, his role has diminished drastically. With only two starts to his name, the 31-year-old utility right-back has slipped behind Deano Van Rooyen and Thabiso Lebitso in the pecking order, while winger Kamogelo Sebelebele has also been preferred at times.
Pirates themselves are flying high, having already secured the MTN8 and Carling Knockout trophies, and with eyes firmly set on the Betway Premiership and Nedbank Cup. Their aggressive transfer dealings at the start of the campaign are paying off handsomely—though for Shandu, it has meant fewer opportunities.
His agent, Mike Makaab, shed light on the situation:
“We were talking to Pirates about how they saw him. But we’ve now got to open the market, which we’ve started doing. The likelihood is that we will be looking at a new club for him, but we’ve left the door open for Orlando Pirates.”
For a player who once embodied consistency and versatility, the future now hangs in the balance. Shandu may soon be donning new colours, leaving behind a chapter that once promised so much at the FNB Stadium.