HLUTHI (31 May 2025): Former Orlando Pirates’ assistant coach Mandla David Qhogi has been appointed MTN League Champions Nsingizini Hotspurs new coach. He takes over from Simon ‘Phiri’ Ngomane who built the Hluthi team to conquer the League Championship only three seasons after they joined the elite league.
Qhogi is from Vryhied, on the other side of the border in KwaZulu Natal, close to Hluthi where Nsingizini hails from.
The appointment was promised by Nsingizini Hotspurs president who declared only minutes after the team sealed their capture of the MTN 2024-25 League championship last Sunday that a replacement for Ngomane would be announced within 72 hours.
Qhogi is reputed to be a student of the game who has undergone mentorship by such greats as his predecessor Ngomane as well by Peruvian Angel Augusto Palacios. A statement from the club assures its followers that Qhogi is well qualified for the position and holds a CAF A Licence, UEFA C from the Scottish FA and several others from the English FA and USA as well as from the South African Football Association (SAFA).
For 17 years, Qhogi worked as Orland Pirates Reserve team head coach before becoming assistant Palacious at the senior team where he contributed to the success of the Buccaneers as a talent scout and developing players to fit the Pirates brand.
He subsequently moved on to become assistant coach at Sikhukhune before moving to Milford where he took that team to number 1 in the first round of the Motsepe League.
Qhogi says he hopes to mould Nsingizini to an aggressive attack team that will move on to the Group Stages of the CAF Cup which starts in a few weeks.
Ngomane will now revert to his substantive position as technical director of the club.
Jm/today/31.05.2025
