A R3 million house, a secret deal, and a fallout with Pitso Mosimane—how Tebogo Langerman’s dream home led to his unexpected exit from Mamelodi Sundowns.

Tebogo Langerman was once a key figure at Mamelodi Sundowns, a reliable left-back who helped the club dominate South African football for nearly a decade.

He was part of the legendary squad that conquered the continent, lifting the CAF Champions League trophy in 2016. His defensive prowess, combined with his ability to contribute to the attack, made him one of the most respected players in the league.

But despite his success on the pitch, it was an off-field decision that ultimately led to his downfall. A house, worth R3 million, became the turning point that ended his career at Sundowns.

Langerman’s time at the club was not without challenges. Despite being a regular starter and a crucial player for Pitso Mosimane’s side, he always felt undervalued.

This became more evident when the club signed Mzikayise Mashaba from Free State Stars and offered him a higher salary.

Langerman, who had been at the club longer, was earning R75,000 per month, while Mashaba was reportedly earning R90,000. It was a bitter pill to swallow, and it planted the first seeds of frustration.

One thing that constantly bothered him was the fact that he did not own a home, something Mosimane often teased him about in front of the squad.

Determined to change this, Langerman made a bold move when renegotiating his contract.

Instead of taking a signing-on fee, which would have been heavily taxed and reduced by agent fees, he went directly to the club’s president, Patrice Motsepe, and proposed something different.

He asked the club to use the signing-on fee to buy him a house instead. Motsepe agreed, and Langerman was given the green light to find a home of his choice.

The house he chose was a luxurious property in Little Falls, perched on a hill with stunning views. It was everything he had dreamed of. Just days after sealing the deal, he decided to celebrate the milestone in style.

He threw an extravagant housewarming party, inviting his teammates and many other guests. The party had strict rules—no phones were allowed inside to ensure privacy.

What happened at the event stayed at the event. According to Langerman, it was a wild night filled with expensive alcohol and other indulgences.

In his own words, he felt like a superstar, comparing himself to Puff Daddy. But this moment of joy would soon lead to a series of troubles that would change his career forever.

What Langerman did not anticipate was how his coach, Pitso Mosimane, would react. Mosimane was unaware of the arrangement between Langerman and Motsepe, and when he found out that the club had bought the player a house, he was furious.

From his perspective, it looked like favoritism, and he confronted Langerman about it in a team meeting. “Out of all these players, the president bought you a house?” Mosimane questioned.

Langerman tried to explain that it was bought with his own money—money that was supposed to be his signing-on fee—but by then, the damage was done.

From that point on, his relationship with Mosimane deteriorated. The coach began to sideline him more frequently, and the once-trusted defender started falling out of favor.

As the tensions grew, Langerman turned to drinking as a way to cope with the situation. The frustration of seeing his playing time reduced, combined with the feeling of being misunderstood, pushed him further down a destructive path.

By the time his contract expired at the end of the 2020/21 season, there was no discussion of renewal. His time at Sundowns had come to an abrupt and bitter end.

After leaving Sundowns, he joined Moroka Swallows, hoping to revive his career. But things did not go as planned. Swallows was struggling financially, and players were often unpaid.

Langerman quickly realized that life outside Sundowns was not as glamorous as he had imagined.

He had left behind a stable and successful club, only to find himself in a team where uncertainty was the norm. After just a season, he moved on once again, stepping away from top-flight football.

Now, Langerman has transitioned into a different role in the game. He is currently a player-coach at Sunrise FC, a team competing in the ABC Motsepe League, South Africa’s third division.

He has also started working towards his coaching qualifications, determined to build a new future in football.

His story serves as a cautionary tale of how off-field decisions, misunderstandings, and personal conflicts can derail even the most promising careers.

What should have been a moment of celebration—finally owning his dream home—turned into the very thing that pushed him out of the club he had dedicated years to.

A R3 million house, a misunderstanding with his coach, and a party that got out of control all combined to mark the end of an era.

Looking back, Langerman might wonder how different things could have been if he had handled the situation differently. But for now, he is focused on the next chapter, hoping to turn his experiences into lessons for the next generation of players.