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Orlando Pirates: Who Wore It Best?

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Tshegofatso Mabasa of Orlando Pirates celebrates after scoring a goal during the Betway Premiership 2024/25 match between Golden Arrows and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 6 May 2025 ©Alche Greeff/BackpagePix

Here is a rundown of who has worn the No. 19 jersey at Orlando Pirates over the last 20 years, writes Nick Said.

INNOCENT MDLEDLE
Mdledle was a stalwart defender who joined the club from People’s Bank Spurs in the 2005/06 season and became an instant regular. He would spend the next four years with the club before moving on to Mamelodi Sundowns and later SuperSport United. He made 95 starts and scored three goals in his time with the Buccaneers and also took the No.19 jersey at Chloorkop.

DENNIS MASINA
The jersey remained vacant for a season before Masina moved from No.34 to 19 for the 2010/11 campaign, which was also his last with the club. The Eswatini midfielder never quite managed to nail down a place at Pirates and spent the second half of this campaign on loan to Mpumalanga Black Aces, who he then joined permanently. He made just five starts during his time at Pirates.

BHEKI NZUNGA
Nzunga took up the 19 jersey following his arrival from M Tigers and played his part in the 2011/12 title-winning campaign, making 12 starts (and 14 appearances in all). But his Pirates career faded thereafter and he made just a single league start (and two appearances) in the next two seasons before departing for Chippa United, where it did not work out either. He did not play top-flight football after 2015.

JUSTICE CHABALALA
Centre-back Chabalala was signed from Free State Stars for the 2016/17 season and took the number 19 after it had been vacant for a few campaigns. He never really settled at Pirates and had loan spells away at Chippa United, Bloemfontein Celtic, Sekhukhune United, before signing permanently for the latter in 2022. Despite six seasons on the book of Pirates he made only 12 starts for the club.

BONGANI SAM
Sam is another who did not have much luck in the No.19 jersey. He joined Pirates from Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2019/20 season but never really settled. Sixteen starts (29 substitute appearances) in three seasons is not a great return, and he also had loan spells with Maritzburg United and Swallows, before a permanent move to Kaizer Chiefs at the start of this season. Injury has meant he has not made a single appearance for the AmaKhosi. Mabasa took over the No. 19 jersey from him in the 2023/24 season.

TSHEGOFATSO MABASA
Striker Tshegofatso Mabasa has not always worn the No.19 jersey at Orlando Pirates. He had 16 when he first arrived at the club and then took the No.9. But loan spells away at Sekhukhune United and Moroka Swallows saw that jersey taken by Evidence Makgopa, and since his return to the club in January 2024, Mabasa has made the No.19 his own.