Jabu Jeremiah Mahlangu (formerly Jabu Jeremiah Pule) (born 11 July 1980 in Daveyton, Gauteng) is a retired South African football (soccer) midfielder who last played for

Supersport United SuperSport United Football Club (often known as SuperSport) is a South African professional football club based in Atteridgeville in Pretoria in the Gauteng province. The team currently plays in the Dstv Premiership. United is known as ''Matsats ...

Club career

South Africa

Pule's first club was

Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs Football Club (often known as Chiefs) are a South African professional football club based in Naturena, Johannesburg South, that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The team is nicknamed ''AmaKhosi'', which means "Lords" or "Chie ...

. The club refused to renew his contract when it ended in 2004 due to unprofessional conduct. He began playing for SV Mattersburg, but after eight months, he was asked to leave the club after crashing his car while under the influence of alcohol. Twice sent to a rehabilitation clinic to overcome his problems with drinking and drugs, Pule was sacked by

SuperSport United SuperSport United Football Club (often known as SuperSport) is a South African professional football club based in Atteridgeville in Pretoria in the Gauteng province. The team currently plays in the Dstv Premiership. United is known as ''Matsats ...

in late 2005 after missing several training sessions.

Irvin Khoza Irvin Khoza (born January 27, 1948) is a South African football administrator and businessman. Nicknamed "Iron Duke / Squveve", he is the Chairman of Orlando Pirates Football Club, Chairman of the South African Premier Soccer League and by virtue ...

, chairman of Orlando Pirates, signed the former South Africa international, who had been kicked out of three previous clubs. In early 2006, Jabu Pule changed his surname to Mahlangu, the name of his deceased father.

Sweden

Pule left South Africa on 23 June 2008 for trials with Swedish clubs Helsingborgs IF,

IF Limhamn Bunkeflo IF Limhamn Bunkeflo may refer to *IF Limhamn Bunkeflo (men's) IF Limhamn Bunkeflo 2007, also known simply as LB07, are a Swedish football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Lim ...

, and Östers IF, after training under the guidance of

Farouk Khan Farooq (also transliterated as Farouk, Faruqi, Farook, Faruk, Faroeq, Faruq, or Farouq, Farooqi, Faruque or Farooqui; ar, فاروق, Fārūq) is a common Arabic given and family name. ''Al-Fārūq'' literally means "the one who distinguishes b ...

at his academy in South Africa. He completed 13 games for Östers IF in Division 1 Södra as the team came close to promotion into Superettan, with none of the problematic behaviour that had previously marred his career. On 18 February 2010, Jabu signed a one-year contract with now Superettan newcomers Östers IF.

International career

Jabu made 20 appearances for the

South Africa national football team The South Africa national soccer team represents South Africa in men's international Association football, soccer and it is run by the South African Football Association, the governing body for Soccer in South Africa. The team's nickname is Baf ...

from 2000 to 2004, and was a participant at the

2002 FIFA World Cup The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial Association football, football world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams organized by ...

and at the

2000 Olympic Games The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

. During the team's departure for the World Cup, South African president Thabo Mbeki, while shaking hands with the players to wish them good luck, said to him: "Jabu, you must behave yourself". He was not selected for the South African squad in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, due to his behavior.

Career statistics

International goals

References

External links

*
Guardian's Stats Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahlangu, Jabu 1980 births Living people People from Daveyton South African soccer players South African expatriate soccer players South Africa international soccer players Olympic soccer players of South Africa Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics 2002 FIFA World Cup players 2004 African Cup of Nations players Association football midfielders Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players SuperSport United F.C. players Orlando Pirates F.C. players SV Mattersburg players Platinum Stars F.C. players Östers IF players Expatriate footballers in Sweden Sportspeople from Gauteng