'He wasn't there': Pirates expose Monnapule Saleng's struggles in doccie – but was it necessary?

IOL News

a day ago

Under the bus Orlando Pirates have loaned Monnapule Saleng (pictured) to Orbit College FC, ending his long-standing saga and speculation about his future. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Soweto giants Orlando Pirates have seemingly thrown Monnapule Saleng under the bus in their fly-on-the-wall documentary aired on SuperSport.
After playing a key role for Ezimnyama Ngenkani during the 2023/24 season, Saleng was sidelined for much of last season, leading to speculation about his future.
It was later reported the player was involved in a tense stand-off with Pirates over his contract, as he believed that due to his importance to the team, he should have been paid as much as the club's top earners.
It was also reported that Saleng struggled with his mental health during the tough period. He was subsequently loaned to newly promoted Orbit College in hopes of rediscovering the form that once made him one of South Africa's most exciting footballers.
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The documentary focuses on the club's Carling Knockout Last 16 clash, where Pirates were beaten 3-2 by Magesi FC. At half-time, with Pirates trailing 3-0, then head coach Jose Riveiro can be heard asking: 'Do I have to do five subs? Is everybody alright? Saleng, are you alright?'
After the player shakes his head, Riveiro says: 'No? Okay, out. Where is [Mohau] Nkota? Take Nkota.'
Then, when narrating what happened, Riveiro says: 'The period of decision was weird, with Saleng… So he takes you to a weird space, to start to speculate if he's okay or not, if he really wants to play for the team or not.
'Because we know Saleng, we know what he's capable of doing – always ready to play, always ready to train, always delivering incredible performances.
'And we have a weird half-time, we have a weird game against Magesi in the Black Label Cup. You could see that the boy is not happy, he's just not himself. He's not the guy enjoying every action – even if he has to run to defend 60m, he enjoys the action as well.
'And he wasn't there…'
When speaking about the game and the tense stand-off with the coach, Saleng said: 'What caused the situation? A lot of things. A lot of things happened.'
One has to ask whether it was necessary to air the incident as it paints Saleng in a bad light. The documentary's treatment of Saleng raises serious questions about how Orlando Pirates manage internal conflicts and player welfare.
Airing such sensitive moments – especially around a player's mental health – feels less like transparency and more like deflection. Instead of protecting one of their most talented assets during a difficult period, the club appears to have used the platform to distance themselves from blame.
In doing so, they may have won the narrative, but at what cost to trust and morale within the squad?
However, while the documentary may be criticised for airing sensitive footage, the club might argue that transparency and honest storytelling are essential to offering fans an authentic look behind the scenes.
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