Orlando Pirates utility player Tefo Mofokeng has found the breakthrough he was looking for, not in Soweto, but in the Botswana Premier League, where he has become an instant sensation for Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
Born on 30 December 1999 and from Ennerdale, Chiefs signed the Bucs player in February 2025 after notable performances with Pele Pele FC, Pirates’ junior team in the Gauteng Division of the ABC Motsepe League.
The versatile player’s loan move midway through the 2024/25 season has quickly become a career-defining decision. The 25-year-old spent three years developing his skills at Pirates’ feeder side, Pele Pele. While there, he primarily operated as a right back.
However, upon arriving at Centre Chiefs, coach Pontsho Moloi saw a different role for him, converting him into a wing forward.
“He’s an Orlando Pirates player, and they loaned him to us. When the season started, we asked for him again, and they were very kind to loan him back to us,” Moloi told FARPost. “He’s our top goal scorer, if not the top scorer in the league.
“He’s a very dynamic guy. It’s funny because when he came here, he was a right back. I looked at him and said, ‘No way, I’ll play you as a wing forward because you’re smart, you can find your way around, and you have an eye for goal’. He has never disappointed.”
‘I DON’T SEE MYSELF AS A WINGER’: MOFOKENG
Despite this, Mofokeng insists on his versatility. “I don’t see myself as a winger or full-back; I can play in midfield and on the wing,” Mofokeng told FARPost. The positional shift has been a huge success, translating immediately into goals.
By the beginning of November, Mofokeng had netted six goals and provided four assists in 10 games played so far, making him the league’s top scorer. His excellent form was formally recognised when he was crowned the Strictly Football Podcast’s September Player of the Month.
“The competitiveness of the Botswana League is very important, some people may say it’s Botswana, but when you come here you’ll realise there’s something special brewing,” Mofokeng added. He has vowed to continue making a strong case for a return to the Betway Premiership.
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