Is Matome Mmolai the perfect replacement for Relebohile Mofokeng at Orlando Pirates? By Mazola Molefe.
Depending on who you speak to, midfielder Matome Mmolai could soon become a household name at Orlando Pirates – and the timing of his arrival could hardly be better following the departure of talisman Relebohile Mofokeng.
Unlike the Bafana Bafana international, however, Mmolai is not a product of the Pirates academy.
At 23, he arrives at Mayfair via the Motsepe Foundation Championship after impressing for Leicesterford City, making his rise all the more remarkable.
His agent, Basia Michaels of QT Sports, believes Pirates supporters have every reason to be excited.
“He can play at the highest level. No doubt about it. He has guts, he’s ballsy and plays like a man with nothing to lose.
That’s the sign of someone who plays without fear or trepidation. I pray the fans are kind to him because I believe he’ll become a superstar and a fan favourite very quickly,” she tells SoccerClub. Mmolai’s road to Pirates has been anything but conventional.
He returned to Leicesterford City in January 2026 after what he believed would be a move to Betway Premiership side TS Galaxy fell through.
The Rockets attempted to sign him on a free transfer before his club intervened and insisted the player return unless an agreement could be reached between the teams.
What initially looked like a major setback ultimately became the turning point in his career. Michaels watched it all unfold.
“I went to Dobsonville to watch a Leicesterford City game. It’s something I do often, but he’d just returned from TS Galaxy because of the registration issues. I watched him for less than 15 minutes and knew I wanted to manage him,” she explains.
“He was playing against Kruger United and completely bossed the midfield. At first, I didn’t even know who he was. I asked for a team sheet, saw his name and immediately started making calls.”
Those calls led Michaels to Mmolai’s uncle, Masilo, before she met the player’s mother and eventually the midfielder himself.
“After speaking to the family, he signed with QT Sports. From there a number of clubs reached.
I won’t name them all, but there was significant interest.” Michaels admits not everyone agreed with her decision to take Mmolai to Pirates.
“Some club owners told me I’d made a mistake and thrown him into the lions’ den. But that says everything about the player’s ability. As I continued watching him, it became clear he was ready for the next step,” Michaels elaborates.
According to Michaels, the man who now handles most of Pirates’ transfer dealings, Mpumi Khoza, soon made contact and negotiations gathered pace.
“The asking price was met for the new ‘President’,” she said, using the nickname Mofokeng was given while with the Soweto giants prior to his move to Belgium.
It turns out Mmolai also earned the same moniker in the lower divisions, which came because of the supposed authority Mmolai displayed in midfield during his time with Leicesterford City this past season.
Now the midfielder has the opportunity to prove that the faith shown in him was justified as Pirates usher in a new generation following Mofokeng’s departure.
