The incident occurred as the club was travelling back to Johannesburg following their resounding 3-0 victory against Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and five members of the club’s staff were involved in a road traffic incident on Sunday night,” reads a statement.
“The incident occurred on the R21 highway as the team returned from Gqeberha, following their hard-fought 3–0 victory against Chippa United. Upon encountering a collision between two vehicles, Coach Ouaddou and several staff members disembarked from the team bus to assist those involved. Tragically, while attending to the scene, a Nissan NP200 vehicle collided with the stationary vehicles, striking the group and causing serious injuries.
Pirates confirmed that Ouaddou and the five members are currently in the hospital receiving medical assistance.
“Coach Ouaddou, along with the five affected staff members, were immediately transported to hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care. The Club is in close contact with the medical team and will provide updates on their recovery in due course,” the statement continued.
At this stage, our priority is the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. The Club has made arrangements to ensure that the affected individuals and their families receive all the necessary support during this difficult time.
We ask for privacy and respect for those involved as they focus on recovery. Further updates will be communicated when appropriate.
The Buccaneers are gearing up for their MTN8 final against Stellenbosch FC on Saturday, 13 September, in a sold-out Mbombela Stadium.
We wish coach Ouaddou and everyone involved a speedy recovery.