Innocent Maela

{{short description|South African soccer player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Use South African English|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Innocent Maela

| image =

| fullname = Sakhile Innocent Maela

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|8|14}}

| birth_place = Witbank, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.76}}{{Cite web |title=Innocent Maela |url=https://www.orlandopiratesfc.com/team/defenders/innocent-maela |access-date=20 November 2020 |website=www.orlandopiratesfc.com |date=14 August 2017 |publisher=Orlando Pirates F.C.}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Orlando Pirates

| clubnumber = 23

| youthyears1 = 2008-2012

| youthclubs1 = Orlando Pirates

| years1 = 2012–2014

| clubs1 = Witbank Spurs

| caps1 = 35

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2014–2017

| clubs2 = Thanda Royal Zulu

| caps2 = 82

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 2017–

| clubs3 = Orlando Pirates

| caps3 = 144

| goals3 = 5

|nationalyears1 = 2017–

|nationalteam1 = South Africa

|nationalcaps1 = 11

|nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 30 June 2024

|nationalteam-update = 20:00, 28 March 2023 (UTC)

}}

Innocent Maela (born 14 August 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Orlando Pirates, which he captains, and the South Africa national team.{{soccerway|innocent-maela/272439}}