Pirates’ new jersey pays tribute to one of the club’s founding members

Orlando Pirates’ new jersey for the 2024-25 season was designed with a tribute to a founder of the club in mind.

The name of James “Sofasonke” Mpanza has been embroidered into the back neck of the jersey.

“This season we see Orlando Pirates pay tribute to one of its forefathers, championing the club’s rich history,” the club said in a statement.

“James Sofasonke Mpanza, born in 1889, was instrumental in forming Pirates in 1937. His vision and leadership laid the foundation for what has become one of the most successful and beloved football clubs in South Africa.”

SAHistory.org.za describes Mpanza as the “founder and leader from the mid-1940s of the Sofasonke Party of Orlando township, Johannesburg, and a crusader for better housing for Johannesburg's Africans”.

“He was an eccentric who often rode horseback in Orlando and who built his following into a cult-like organisation for the contesting of seats on the Orlando advisory board. Jailed for murder in 1914, he spent 13 years in prison, during which time he experienced a Christian conversion, became a preacher to his fellow prisoners, and wrote a short book, The Battles of the Christian's Pathway.

“After his release in 1927 he became a teacher in Pretoria, then later moved to Johannesburg, where in 1944 he led thousands of Africans, overflowing from the slums of Orlando, to set up a huge shantytown on the veld, with Mpanza as their unofficial 'mayor'.

“It was at this time that his nickname, ‘Sofasonke’ (We Shall All Die), was acquired. By dramatising the plight of the city's homeless workers, the shantytown movement created pressures leading to the construction of modern Soweto.

“In 1946, Mpanza was deported to Natal by government order, but he defied the ruling and won his case on appeal. Continuously returned to the Orlando advisory board, he was one of those who supported the creation of the Soweto Urban Bantu Council in the early 1960s.

“Mpanza died in 1970, but his organisation, the Sofasonke Party, still exists, and in the Soweto UBC election of 1971 it took over half the council seats.”

Pirates said the jersey is made entirely from recycled materials.

“The 2024-25 offering consists of two new performance-driven jersey designs. Rooted in the club’s DNA, the home jersey features the legendary Orlando Pirates logo and a black, white, and red colour palette, presenting a sleek and forward-facing aesthetic.

“In celebration of culture and community, the away jersey symbolises diversity through colour and introduces a seasonal green tone.

“Crafted from 100% recycled materials, the new jersey merges sustainability with cutting-edge innovation developed by Adidas, including moisture-wicking AEROREADY and Climalite’s apparel technology. Designed to keep athletes cool and dry, the features effectively manage perspiration distribution and enhance airflow.

“The jersey is finished off with the James Sofasonke Mpanza back neck sign-off.

Pirates said the jerseys were available from 9am on Monday “online and at the Orlando Pirates shop, and on July 25 in-store at selected Adidas and retail outlets in men’s, women’s and children’s sizes”.