Orlando Pirates have signed three players and moved on three more in a single announcement — and the most interesting name in that group is a 20-year-old left-back who's already logged 42 top-flight appearances.
Neo Rapoo arrives from Siwelele having played 27 of their 30 league games last season. Before that, he had 15 PSL outings with SuperSport United. For someone born in 2005 or 2006, that's a meaningful resumé — and it comes with an African U20 Championship medal from last year's tournament with South Africa. Pirates aren't gambling on potential here. They're buying proven minutes at the right price.
Baliti's deal has a catch — and it actually makes sense
Aphiwe Baliti also comes in from Siwelele, but there's a twist: the 24-year-old will go straight back to the same club on a season-long loan. That's not a strange piece of business if you understand how Pirates operate. They've identified him, locked him down contractually, and they'll re-evaluate after another year of consistent game time. His ability to cover both fullback positions gives the coaching staff flexibility they'd otherwise have to manufacture.
Completing the trio is central midfielder Matome Mmolai (23), the least established of the three, arriving from Leicesterford City in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Less is known about him, but Pirates have consistently mined that tier for players others overlook — and it's worked often enough to trust the scouting logic.
The outgoing business matters too
Gomolemo Khoto and Siyabonga Ndlozi both leave permanently for Sekhukhune United, while Tshepho Mashiloane heads back there on loan having never really nailed down his spot after joining from Baroka a year ago. Three right-backs cycling through in two seasons tells its own story about how Pirates view that position — still unsettled, still searching.
The squad is getting younger, faster, and built with an eye on African competition as much as domestic dominance. That tends to compress the margins in PSL title races, which the defending champions will need to account for when the new season kicks off.
