Joseph Makhanya waiting for next coaching opportunity after Pirates exit

Former Orlando Pirates youth coach Joseph Makhanya says he is currently without a club and hoping for an opportunity to return to football after leaving feeder side Pele Pele FC.

Makhanya departed the Gauteng ABC Motsepe League club at the end of the 2024/25 season, having served as assistant coach to Andile Zulu alongside Issa Sarr. He had previously managed Pirates’ DStv Diski Challenge team.

Zulu has since been replaced by Vincent Rammoni ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, while Makhanya is now searching for his next role.

“Currently I’m unattached, still looking, waiting for somebody who would find me useful. I would definitely love to go back into the scene and do what I love best,” Makhanya said.

The former Orlando Pirates winger was speaking while watching Sunday’s Betway Premiership match between Siwelele and Polokwane City. During the game, he recognised two players he had helped develop earlier in his coaching career.

Before joining Pirates, Makhanya worked with Kagiso Porto, the club where he had also played. He said seeing former pupils progress into professional football had been a particular source of pride.

“Before I went to Pirates, I was at Kagiso Porto, it’s a team I was playing for back then and when I was there, I used to groom youngsters, actually while I was watching Siwelele playing against Polokwane City, I saw two boys at Siwelele I used to groom,” Makhanya recalled.

One of those players is Manelisi Mazibuko, whom Makhanya took to SuperSport’s development programme. Mazibuko is now in his second professional season.

The other is Thato Letshedi, who Makhanya also helped during his progression through several clubs.

“Manelisi (Mazibuko) I took to SuperSport development and now he has turned pro, it’s his second season. (Thato) Letshedi also I took to Lizo Mjempu’s team in Mpumalanga, I also took him to African All Stars, he then went to La Masia, Polokwane City and then Siwelele, so it’s two players from Porto. It’s a proud moment for me.

“As development coaches, when you sit and watch these games and you see players you’ve worked with, you become proud that I’m doing something right, I’ve changed somebody’s life,” Makhanya said.

Makhanya also revealed that he had coached former Kaizer Chiefs defender Aden McCarthy before the player joined the Amakhosi development setup. McCarthy now plays for Sabah FK.

He also had a role in the development of Relebohile Mofokeng, among several other players.

“When you’re sitting down and you’re watching (UEFA) Champions League and there is Rele (Mofokeng), you go, ‘Oh, I used to coach this player’. The other day I was watching Fabian’s son (Aden McCarthy). I used to coach him before he went to Chiefs, even at Panorama. So these things come to mind when I’m watching these games, even in the NFD, there are a lot of players I used to coach, it’s a proud moment to contribute to changing someone’s life,” Makhanya added.