SOCCER – NSINGIZINI Hotspurs have parted ways with Chief Executive Officer Banele Ngobe, bringing an end to his two-year tenure at the club.
Reports of Ngobe’s departure surfaced on social media on Sunday evening before sources close to the club confirmed that he had stepped down and was no longer involved in the team’s activities.
According to a source, Ngobe has relinquished his position, although the reasons behind his departure remain undisclosed.
“The CEO has relinquished his position and I cannot get into the details of why he left. He is no longer the club CEO and is not even involved in the club preparations for the trip to Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal this weekend,” the source said.
The source added that Ngobe has not been involved with the team since Sunday, with his last official responsibility being the coordination of players’ pre-season medical examinations at The Luke Commission earlier this month.
His absence was also noticeable as part of the club’s management travelled to Ulundi yesterday to attend preparations and the draw for the Prince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup. Ngobe was not part of the delegation.
Despite the reports, Nsingizini Hotspurs are yet to make an official announcement regarding the development. Club Public Relations Officer Mnotfo Dlamini said the matter remains under the office of Club President Derrick ‘Shiba’ Dlamini.
“We saw the reports on social media that our CEO has left the club. The matter is with the office of the president and nothing official has been communicated to that regard. We will wait for the club president to make an official announcement,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nsingizini will return to Ulundi, South Africa, this weekend to compete in the 2026 Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Legacy Cup. The back-to-back MTN Premier League champions will take on South African Premier Soccer League sides Siwelele and AmaZulu, while hosts Ulundi United complete the four-team line-up.
The tournament will be played at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Regional Stadium, with the official draw set for today in Ulundi.
Nsingizini earned another invitation after being declared joint champions with AmaZulu in last year’s edition when the final was abandoned because of heavy rain. They had reached the final after eliminating Richards Bay on penalties.
The tournament forms part of Nsingizini’s preparations for the new season, which also includes a return to the CAF Champions League following their impressive campaign last year, where they knocked out Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora before exiting to Tanzania’s Simba SC.
The annual Legacy Cup honours the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi while promoting football, tourism and economic development in KwaZulu-Natal. It has become a key pre-season competition, strengthening football ties between South Africa and Eswatini.
