Orlando Pirates duo Seema and Sebelebele earn Bafana Bafana squad places

Orlando Pirates players Lebone Seema and Kamogelo Sebelebele are in the Bafana Bafana squad, with former coach Adnan Beganovic praising their progress as part of a club vision.

Lebone Seema and Kamogelo Sebelebele have been called up to Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. Their former TS Galaxy coach, Adnan Beganovic, says their rise to the national team fulfills the vision he had for player development.

Development background

Adnan Beganovic oversaw the early careers of both players at TS Galaxy. He stated that their current success with Orlando Pirates and the national team was a planned outcome of the club's rigorous environment. "We spoke about this at TS Galaxy," Beganovic said. "It was part of the vision of the club." He emphasized that producing elite talent required a collective effort from the board down to the coaching staff, a process he believes is now bearing fruit for the players and their current club.

Player journey

Seema and Sebelebele transferred to Orlando Pirates in 2025 and have since become first-team regulars. Sebelebele, who also featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has now been joined in the national setup by Seema following his consistent performances. Beganovic highlighted their explosive growth since the move. "Lebone really exploded when he got to Orlando Pirates," he noted. Seema recently scored in the 2-0 win over Durban City, contributing to a team that sits second in the Premier Soccer League standings with 19 points from seven games. The team's strong form, with a goal difference of +15, is built on a solid defensive record, having conceded only 4 goals in 630 minutes of play this season. Their next challenge is a key league fixtures against rivals Mamelodi Sundowns, a match that could see them go top of the table.

Broader impact

Beganovic views their path as a blueprint for other PSL clubs, showing what is possible with a clear technical vision. For Orlando Pirates, the integration of these players coincides with a strong league position, just one point off the top. Both Seema and Sebelebele will aim to cement their places in Mosimane’s plans during the upcoming international window. Their selection adds to the growing number of Pirates players in the national team squad. Beganovic concluded by reiterating that the players' development was never left to chance, but was a systematic project from their early days, a model he hopes more clubs will adopt to strengthen South African football overall.