Polokwane City FC head coach Willy ‘Machete’ Moloto has shed light on why the club’s longest-serving player, Puleng Marema, has been missing in action since the start of the 2026/27 PSL season.
Marema, who is in his 14th year in professional football, has featured in over 300 matches for the Rise and Shine.
The 35-year-old joined Polokwane City back in 2012 while they were still competing in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. To top it off, Marema is also the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with over 67 goals to his name.
Last season, the veteran frontman participated in 29 matches across all competitions, scoring one goal and weighing in with four assists.
However, Marema has not made an official appearance for the Limpopo side this season across the three official matches Polokwane City has played so far. They have featured in two league matches—against Richards Bay FC [2-1 win] and Stellenbosch FC [3-3 draw]—and an MTN8 quarter-final tie against Mamelodi Sundowns [3-2 loss].
WILLY MOLOTO REVEALS WHY PULENG MAREMA HASN’T BEEN PLAYING
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday night at Seshego Stadium following their 3-3 draw against Stellenbosch FC, Moloto clarified that the forward missed crucial pre-season preparations due to injury.
“Marema came very late for pre-season because he was injured. So, we are working on Marema. He is a very important member of this team,” Moloto explained.
“As you can see, the young boys who are being introduced are doing the job. Marema is also encouraging them to grow because I think he has one or two seasons left in him. So, it’s not about sidelining him; it’s about what we have been doing at training.”
Currently, Polokwane City are placed third on the Betway Premiership table with four points after two matches. They are just two points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs.
RELATED STORY: ‘There’s no such’: Polokwane City coach clears air on Thabang Matuludi’s absence
