Royal AM has signed Happy Jele, a former captain of the Orlando Pirates. After leaving the Pirates when his contract with them expired in the 2021/22 season, Jele joins Royal AM. He hasn’t participated in a competitive football game in months. When Jele departed Pirates, he had only ever played for one club in his professional career. He participated in nearly 400 games while donning the legendary Buccaneers jersey, scoring 18 goals and taking home eight accolades.

The Bucs’ management offered him a non-playing role before he left Pirates. The defender, on the other hand, turned down the offer because he wanted to keep playing in the top division of football. The club has stated that they are thrilled to have him and that his experience will be crucial for Royal AM. We are ecstatic to have you here. Welcome aboard,” the club wrote on Twitter.

After 16 years with the Buccaneers, Jele, who is 36 years old, joins Royal AM. The defensive back from Middelburg is undoubtedly excited about his new venture. Jele will be reunited with another former Bucs defender, Thabo Matlaba, at Royal AM. Matlaba joined Thwihli Thwahla from Swallows FC in January of last year. In 2019, Matlaba left the Buccaneers and joined the Black Leopards before Swallows.

At Bucs, Jele and Matlaba shared many trophies and played for a very long time together. They will be trying to form a strong partnership with the KZN club, which also has Ricardo Nascimento, an experienced player.