Orlando Pirates Mourn Loss of Nani Chakane

Orlando Pirates are mourning the loss of one of the club’s most cherished matriarchs, following the passing of Mrs Maleshoane Elizabeth “Nani” Chakane, the beloved wife of long-serving club figure Mr Franklin Chakane, on 23 June 2026.

News of her death has cast a sombre shadow over the Buccaneers community. Around Orlando East and beyond, the Chakane name carries deep roots in the club’s history and in the broader Soweto football fraternity. Mrs Chakane, known affectionately as “Nani”, stood for the quiet strength behind that legacy – a constant presence, even if she rarely occupied the spotlight.

In its tribute, Orlando Pirates Football Club expressed profound sadness and extended its thoughts and prayers to Mr Chakane, the wider Chakane family, relatives, friends, and everyone whose life was touched by her. The club has called on supporters and the football community to hold the family close in their hearts during this period of mourning.

Farewell Details

The farewell to Mrs Chakane will take place on Thursday, 2 July 2026, at the Uniting Reformed Church of South Africa in Orlando East, Soweto. The service is scheduled to begin at 09:00, with the funeral procession expected to leave the church at approximately 11:00 for burial at Nasrec Cemetery.

Mourners are being received at the family home at 1173 Jacobs Street, Protea North, Soweto, where friends, neighbours and members of the football fraternity have been gathering to pay their respects and offer comfort.

In a club built on generations of loyalty and sacrifice, the passing of “Nani” Chakane is felt far beyond one household. It touches the very fabric of a community that has long seen football and family as one and the same.