Sekhukhune boss Kaze backs Zothwane to raise standards in new-look coaching team

Cedric Kaze believes the arrival of assistant coach Papi Zothwane will be crucial to Sekhukhune United’s hopes of making progress in the new season, highlighting the former midfielder’s playing pedigree as a key asset for the dressing room.

Kaze, appointed head coach of Babina Noko ahead of the forthcoming Betway Premiership campaign, has seen the club reshape its technical team by installing Zothwane as first assistant after his stint as co-coach at Richards Bay last season. Existing assistant Paulus Masehe remains on staff as second assistant.

Speaking at the Betway Premiership launch in Houghton, Johannesburg, Kaze underlined why he pushed for Zothwane to join him, drawing a direct link between the 43-year-old’s past as a standout performer and the respect he commands from current professionals.

“I’ve been seeing Papi on the other side of the bench with Richards Bay, but as well I know that he’s been a very good player at Mamelodi Sundowns before,” Kaze told the media.

“We want those kind of figures to be in our technical set up, coaches that have had success when they were players. Then the players can identify themselves to them and there is a kind of respect when there is a message going to the players because they know that he has done that when he was playing.”

Playing pedigree at the heart of Kaze’s plan

Zothwane, who made his name at Mamelodi Sundowns, is viewed by Kaze as someone who can bridge the gap between the dugout and the pitch, using his own experiences to reinforce the coaching staff’s tactical and motivational messages.

Kaze is convinced that Zothwane’s background will have a positive impact on the squad, arguing that players are more likely to buy into instructions delivered by someone who has operated at a high level in South African football. His appointment is part of a broader effort by Sekhukhune to refresh both the squad and the technical structure following Kaze’s arrival.

The club has been active in the transfer market, releasing a significant number of players and bringing in several new signings for Kaze and his staff to integrate. The turnover is intended to give Babina Noko renewed energy and competitiveness going into the league season.

Pre-season boost after Mafori Cup success

Sekhukhune’s preparations have been given an early lift by victory in the one-day Mafori Cup pre-season tournament in Polokwane last weekend, a result Kaze hopes will provide momentum when the Premiership schedule begins.

“The preparations have been good. We had time to work and to put some juice into the players and to work on our principles and our way of playing. I would say it’s been a good pre-season,” he said.

Kaze has used the off-season to bed in his tactical ideas, fitness demands and new signings, with the coaching reshuffle – led by Zothwane’s appointment – forming a central part of the club’s attempt to sharpen its competitive edge.

Reunion with Ben Youssef at Seshego

Babina Noko will face Durban City at Seshego Stadium in their next outing, returning to the same venue where they lifted the Mafori Cup. The fixture also brings an intriguing touchline subplot, as Kaze comes up against Durban City coach Khalil Ben Youssef.

The pair previously worked side by side as co-coaches at Kaizer Chiefs, and their latest meeting adds an extra narrative to what is already a notable match in Sekhukhune’s build-up.

For Kaze, though, the focus remains on embedding his philosophy, capitalising on the pre-season work and harnessing the expertise of his restructured backroom team – with Zothwane now a central figure in that project.