Durban City have moved swiftly to reshape their technical bench following the departure of Sinethemba Badela, bringing an abrupt end to the former Chippa United coach’s short spell in charge of the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.
Badela was appointed earlier this season as the successor to veteran coach Gavin Hunt, who left Durban City to take up a new challenge at Stellenbosch after replacing Steve Barker.
His arrival was viewed as part of a fresh direction for the club, with Badela tasked with building on the foundation laid during Hunt’s tenure while introducing his own footballing philosophy.
Results during his brief stint were mixed but not without promise. Badela began his reign on a positive note, guiding City to a narrow 1–0 victory over Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership.
However, consistency proved elusive. That league win was followed by a 2–0 defeat to his former side Chippa United, before Durban City gained a measure of revenge days later by edging the same opponents on penalties in a tense Nedbank Cup Round of 32 encounter last Friday.
Despite remaining competitive in both domestic competitions, the club’s hierarchy has opted for an early change.
According to FarPost, assistant coach Pitso Dladla is expected to step in as caretaker head coach while the club considers its long-term options.
Dladla is a familiar figure within the setup, having worked closely with both Hunt and Badela, a factor that could help ensure continuity during the transitional period.
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The report further suggests that Durban City management felt Badela’s preferred style of play would require time to fully take shape, something the club believes it cannot afford at this crucial stage of the campaign.
With the emphasis firmly on immediate results rather than long-term evolution, the decision was made to part ways sooner rather than later.
Durban City currently sit sixth on the 2025/26 Premiership standings, firmly in the top half and within touching distance of the leading pack.
They also remain alive in the Nedbank Cup and are awaiting the draw for the Round of 16, keeping hopes of silverware very much alive.
As Dladla prepares to steady the ship, the focus for City will be on maintaining momentum in the league and cup while management weighs up whether to make a permanent appointment or persist with an interim solution as the season unfolds.