Bandile Shandu: Former Orlando Pirates right midfielder linked with Durban City FC return as free agent

South Africa right midfielder Bandile Shandu, currently a free agent after leaving Orlando Pirates, is being linked with a move to Betway Premiership side Durban City FC, according to the latest transfer listings.

The 31-year-old, valued at around 350,000 on Transfermarkt, officially became unattached on 1 July 2026 when his contract with Pirates expired and his status changed to Without Club. Transfermarkts rumour log lists Durban City FC as a potential destination, though the probability of the deal is currently marked only as ?, underlining that talks are at a speculative stage.

Any move would mark a return to familiar surroundings for Shandu. Born in Pietermaritzburg on 19 January 1995 and standing at 1.80m, he came through the Durban City FC youth system before stepping up to the senior side in December 2012. He then spent close to a decade there, during which his market value climbed steadily, peaking at 700,000 in mid-2019.

Shandu switched to Orlando Pirates in July 2021, remaining in South Africas top flight and seeing his value rise again, reaching 850,000 several times between early 2023 and mid-2024. More recent updates show a gradual decline, with his valuation adjusted down to 450,000 by December 2025 and 350,000 by June 2026, shortly before he became a free agent.

Primarily a right midfielder and rightfooted, Shandus versatility across the flank made him a regular feature in the South African top tier, though detailed appearance and goal statistics for his final campaign at Pirates are not listed in the current data. No specific recent match including opponent, date, scoreline or individual performance is recorded in the information available.

With no contract end-date now tying him down and his previous employers not owed a fee, a return to Durban City FC would represent a lowrisk free transfer for a club in the Betway Premiership. If the interest firms up into an offer, the move back to his formative club could be a significant late-career step for Shandu as he seeks to reestablish his place in South African top-flight football.