Zwane vows to stay at AmaZulu amid Sekhukhune United interest

Arthur Zwane has insisted he is fully committed to AmaZulu FC and has no intention of leaving, despite reports linking him with a move to Betway Premiership rivals Sekhukhune United after the end of last season.

The AmaZulu head coach, who guided Usuthu to a fourth-place finish in the Betway Premiership, was widely reported to be a target for Sekhukhune United, who were said to have put a more lucrative package on the table.

Zwane, speaking on UKhozi FM, acknowledged that discussions about his future had surfaced once the campaign concluded but stressed that both he and the club’s hierarchy had always been clear about their long-term plans.

“The truth is every time when the season comes to an end, there will always be future talks, as to whether the coach did well or not,” Zwane said.

“Yes, those talks emerged but myself, president and the CEO, we always knew what the plan of the club would be.”

‘No one was panicking’

Zwane, affectionately known as “10111” from his playing days, said that neither he nor AmaZulu’s leadership were unsettled by the speculation because the project he signed up for under club president Sandile Zungu remained firmly on course.

“That’s why there was no one panicking that any members of the technical team or myself would leave because this is a project that was explains to me by president Zungu when he appointed me,” he continued.

“To me, this project means a lot because it took me out from where I was for years. So, it wasn’t just a project I would ditch just because I’m hearing some whispers.”

AmaZulu missed out on qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup by a narrow margin, but their fourth-place finish underlined the progress made since Zwane assumed full control of the team.

The former Kaizer Chiefs coach initially arrived at AmaZulu in 2024 as co-head coach alongside Vusumuzi Vilakazi, before later being elevated to the role of sole head coach.

Career principles guide decision

Reflecting on his approach to career choices, Zwane said he had always resisted the temptation to move for the sake of it, both as a player and now as a coach.

“Even when I was a player, people used to come to me, approaching me. But I knew what I wanted and I always chose it and I believe it helped me to have a long career which players can learn from,” he said.

“So, you shouldn’t run after things when your current workplace is good to you. The reason why I had a long stay where I previously worked is because I didn’t run after things.”

He added that the environment he has found at AmaZulu goes beyond football, describing a sense of deeper purpose around the club.

“The project of AmaZulu is like that, I feel it has God spirit, it has a lot of spiritual things that happened. It can grow me and I can do a lot of great things there,” Zwane said.

‘Nothing will change my mind’

Zwane also spoke warmly about how he had been received in KwaZulu-Natal and said no financial offer would persuade him to walk away while he still felt valued and inspired at AmaZulu.

“People can approach me, but if I still feel good where I am and considering how I was welcomed to the province of KwaZulu-Natal, nothing will change my mind even if people come with a billion dollar,” he said.

“I know things that will make my career blossom and the things that will make me proud. That will sustain me to continue to grow. So, this project is going well, and I believe I have grown much with people that I’m working with.

“So, I can’t leave such a project. Having achieved what we have achieved thus far, maybe tomorrow we will be going for position three.”

Zwane’s comments appear to close the door, for now, on any potential move away from AmaZulu, as he targets an even higher league finish in the next Betway Premiership campaign.