Cape Town City chief John Comitis dismisses Emile Witbooi to Orlando Pirates transfer talk

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis says he has had “no serious conversation” with Orlando Pirates about teenage sensation Emile Witbooi, despite mounting speculation that the youngster is being lined up as a replacement for Relebohile Mofokeng.

Witbooi, 17, has been widely linked in local media with a move to the Soweto giants following Mofokeng’s high-profile transfer to Europe. But Comitis insists the bubbling transfer narrative is being driven by publicity rather than negotiations.

“Everybody has sold that boy to Pirates. I don’t know anything about it,” Comitis tells KickOff. “Everybody is selling him to Pirates.”

The City boss confirmed that no formal approach has been made by Pirates for the forward, who previously spent time on assessment at English Premier League side Chelsea.

“At this stage, the media has hyped this into what it is, and we haven’t had any serious conversation over Emile,” he said.

No formal Pirates bid as European interest grows

While rumours of a domestic switch dominate social media and talk shows, Comitis says the most concrete interest in Witbooi is actually coming from overseas.

“At this stage, he is in our plans, and we’ve got a lot of interest still from European clubs. He has been invited to a trial at a Bundesliga club, but we’re not sure if we’re gonna release him for a trial.

“But nonetheless, their interest is still there.”

Witbooi’s European links are not new. The teenager previously spent time at Chelsea for an assessment, which has further enhanced his reputation as one of South Africa’s brightest young prospects.

Comitis declined to disclose what Cape Town City might demand in a future transfer, but hinted that any fee would be in line with the rising prices being paid for South African players moving abroad.

“I can’t disclose how much Witbooi is worth, but you see the amounts that Orlando Pirates is getting now when they sell their players overseas?

“This boy is special like that.”

City in no rush to sell ‘special’ teenager

Despite acknowledging Witbooi’s talent and the likelihood of future opportunities, Comitis stressed that Cape Town City are not eager to cash in immediately.

The chairman described Witbooi as “a very special player” and insisted the club’s primary focus is on performance rather than profit.

The experienced owner said City intend to keep the youngster at the heart of their plans for the coming campaign, as they look to mount a serious challenge for the DStv Premiership title.

“At the moment, he is at the club. We have every intention to make sure that he assists us to win the league because we’ve signed players with that intention, and we’re certainly gonna try our best,” he adds.

“But at the same time, we know if we get a big opportunity for him, we have to consider it.”

Media hype versus transfer reality

The narrative around Witbooi has intensified since Mofokeng’s move to Europe opened a potential vacancy at Orlando Pirates for a creative attacking talent.

Speculation has suggested Pirates view Witbooi as a like-for-like successor, yet Comitis’s comments underline the gap between rumour and reality in the transfer market.

For now, Cape Town City maintain that Witbooi remains central to their ambitions, with European clubs monitoring his progress and domestic rivals yet to make a decisive move.

Until that changes, one of South Africa’s most talked-about young footballers appears set to continue his development in the Mother City rather than in Soweto.