Orlando Pirates Injury Update: Makgopa, Mbatha Return to Full Training
Orlando Pirates are making the most of the Premier Soccer League’s extended recess, with the club’s medical team reporting encouraging progress on several injured players as the FIFA international break rolls on for another week.
The biggest news for Bucs fans is the return of two Bafana Bafana internationals. Evidence Makgopa and Thalente Mbatha, who both missed the opening stretch of the 2026/27 season, are back in full-team training after recovering from their respective injuries.
Mbatha had been sidelined with a knee problem since 10 August, while Makgopa had been receiving treatment for patellar tendinitis since 5 August. Both have also featured in friendly matches as they build towards full match fitness, a promising sign that neither will be short of sharpness when domestic action resumes.
Nkota and De Jong Step Up Their Recovery
Elsewhere on the treatment table, Mohau Nkota and Andre de Jong are progressing well in their rehabilitation. Nkota is recovering from a knee injury, while De Jong is working his way back from a hamstring problem. Both have now moved on to field-based rehabilitation.
No return dates have been confirmed for either player, but the shift from gym work to the training pitch is a positive step in the right direction.
Nduli Starts Running
There is good news too on the long-term front, with 30-year-old Sihle Nduli completing the latest phase of his rehabilitation programme and beginning to run on the field.
Senior physiotherapist Kutlwano Molefe explained what comes next: “Sihle has started running on the field and is scheduled to undergo field-based rehabilitation for approximately two weeks before beginning his reintegration into full-team training.”
With key players edging closer to full fitness, Pirates will be hoping to return from the break with a stronger squad and greater depth when the league restarts.
