Zuko Komisa

Orlando Pirates have announced that assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi will step into the interim head coach role for the remainder of the current season.
This development follows the surprising news earlier this week that head coach Jose Riveiro requested an early release from his contract, which was originally set to expire on June 30th.
The Buccaneers confirmed the change in leadership, stating that Ncikazi will be supported by Head Performance Analyst Rayaan Jacobs and the existing technical and support team.
Ncikazi arrived at the Soweto giants in June 2021 on a three-year deal after a successful stint as head coach of Golden Arrows, where he led the KwaZulu-Natal club to a commendable fourth-place finish in the preceding season.
During his time at Pirates, Ncikazi initially worked under Josef Zinnbauer before forming a co-coaching partnership with Fadlu Davids for the 2021/22 campaign.
Following Davids’ departure, Ncikazi remained as the trusted second-in-command to Spaniard Jose Riveiro, a partnership that yielded five trophies for the club since Riveiro’s appointment in July 2022.
The club confirmed in their statement that the experienced Ncikazi will be at the helm for Pirates’ final four crucial league matches against TS Galaxy, SuperSport United, AmaZulu, and Magesi FC.
“The remaining matches of the season will be overseen by Assistant Coach Mandla Ncikazi, who will take charge of the team on an interim basis.
“He will be supported by Head Performance Analyst Rayaan Jacobs and the rest of the Club’s technical and support staff,” the official statement reads.
Club Grants Head Coach Early Release
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 12, 2025
⚫️⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways
This unexpected shift in leadership comes at a critical juncture in the season, and all eyes will be on Ncikazi as he aims to guide the team through their final fixtures.
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