Chippa United have sacked head coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi with just three matches left in their 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign. His departure comes a day after the Chilli Boys were beaten 3-1 by Sekhukhune United on Wednesday afternoon.
The match had originally been postponed on Tuesday evening due to a waterlogged Buffalo City Stadium following heavy rainfall and was later played the next day in the Eastern Cape.
The defeat stretched Chippa’s winless run to five matches and left them hovering in 13th position, only three points clear of bottom-placed Magesi FC.
Club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi reportedly made the call to relieve Vilakazi of his duties on Wednesday. The former Richards Bay and Golden Arrows mentor bid farewell to the team.
It marks yet another coaching shake-up in a turbulent season, with the club having already started the campaign under Sinethemba Badela before turning to Luc Eymael. Mpengesi has also cut ties with sporting director Sinesipho Mali during the same difficult period.
HOW VILAKAZI HAS FARED AT THE CHILLI BOYS
Vilakazi had been in charge since October, tasked with steadying the ship early in the season, and oversaw 16 league matches during his tenure at the Eastern Cape side. He won four games, drew five and lost seven.
Assistant coach Hlanga Dikeni is expected to step in for the final stretch of the season, which lasts just under two weeks, as Chippa United battles to avoid relegation.
Their remaining fixtures are away at TS Galaxy, at home to Golden Arrows, and at Kaizer Chiefs in Durban. Of the three matches, only one will be played at home against Arrows, while they visit TS Galaxy in Mbombela and Amakhosi at the Moses Mabhida.
Interestingly, Vilakazi, nicknamed Kanu, has been linked with the TS Galaxy job following Adnan Beganovic’s exit.