Monnapule Saleng will spend the upcoming Premiership season on loan at newly promoted Orbit College from Orlando Pirates — and the midfielder is delighted to return to familiar surroundings.
The move comes after months of uncertainty about his future, following a 2024/25 campaign in which he missed most of the action with the Buccaneers.
The midfielder makes his return to his former side on a season-long loan, having recently signed a two-year contract extension with Pirates. He moves in search of regular game time after falling out of favour with the Sea Robbers last season.
Orbit made history by earning promotion to the Premiership through the PSL play-offs, overcoming Cape Town City and Casric Stars to secure their place among the elite. As they prepare for their first season in the top flight, the addition of Saleng offers a major boost — bringing in a player who not only knows the club well but also has valuable experience at the highest level.
Back at the club where his career started, the Bafana Bafana attacker expressed his relief at being able to return to action after spending an extended period on the sidelines.
“I am very happy to be back home, and I thank God for giving me the strength to find my way with Orbit. I am happy they got a promotion, and coming back home brings me a lot of joy,” Saleng said.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to come back, especially after having had a long season without playing. I kept on pushing myself even though I was not playing, and I kept supporting the team while waiting for my opportunity, but fortunately I got the opportunity to come back home.”
The 27-year-old added that during that challenging spell, drawing strength from his roots kept him going.
“Looking at where you come from, that is where you keep pushing and not break easily. There was motivation here and there, there were talks, but I pushed until I got the opportunity to come to Orbit and get the game time so that the next time I come back, I am fit.”
The move comes at a vital time in his career — not only does it offer a chance for regular football, but it also gives him the opportunity to push for a return to the Bafana setup ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations later this year.
Orbit will be the only club representing the North West province in the Premiership, becoming the first to do so since Platinum Stars were relegated at the end of the 2017/18 season. Although Saleng knows the club well, he’s aware that breaking into the starting lineup won’t be guaranteed.
“The style of playing hasn’t changed that much compared to three years ago,” he continued. “There has been a few player changes but the style hasn’t changed.
“The coach has shown me how he wants us to play and it has made it easy for me to adjust and the players around me have been supportive of me. My performances will talk, I know AFCON is around the corner, but my performance will do the talking.”
