Lamontville Golden Arrows have officially announced the appointment of Mandla Ncikazi as their new head coach, marking his return to the KwaZulu-Natal club following his departure from Orlando Pirates.

The announcement was made on Thursday, 22 October 2026, as Golden Arrows moved to appoint an experienced coach to lead the team for the remainder of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.

Ncikazi replaces Pitso Dladla, with the club having confirmed that they had agreed to part ways with the former coach with immediate effect.

In welcoming their new head coach, Golden Arrows expressed delight at bringing Ncikazi back to Abafana Bes’thende, where he previously enjoyed a successful spell in charge.

The appointment represents a return to familiar surroundings for Ncikazi, who has a longstanding association with the club and understands its structures, culture and ambitions.

During his previous tenure as head coach in the 2020/21 season, Ncikazi guided Golden Arrows to a fourth-place finish in the league, one of the club's most impressive campaigns in South African top-flight football.

His achievements during that period helped establish his reputation as a coach capable of guiding the team to competitive results despite operating with comparatively limited resources.

Following his departure from Golden Arrows in 2021, Ncikazi joined Orlando Pirates, where he spent several seasons as part of the club's technical team.

He worked alongside different head coaches, including José Riveiro and Abdeslam Ouaddou, contributing to the Soweto club's success in domestic competitions.

Ncikazi leaves Orlando Pirates having been part of a technical team that won nine trophies during his time at the club. Although he primarily served as an assistant coach, he also had opportunities to work in a co-coaching capacity.

Orlando Pirates confirmed that Ncikazi had requested to leave after discussions with management, explaining that he wanted to pursue another opportunity to lead a team as head coach.

Club chairman Irvin Khoza thanked him for his contribution and wished him success in his next role.

His return to Golden Arrows comes at a crucial stage of the season, with the Durban-based side seeking greater consistency after a difficult start to their league campaign.

Ncikazi's immediate responsibility will be to improve the team's performances, restore confidence within the squad and help the club achieve its objectives in the Betway Premiership.

For Golden Arrows, his appointment brings back a familiar figure with previous experience of leading the team. For Ncikazi, it offers another opportunity to demonstrate his abilities as a head coach in South Africa's top division.

Source: https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2113286282260648107