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Cedric Kaze’s future at Sekhukhune United has come under serious scrutiny after a difficult start to his tenure, with reports claiming that the club is preparing to part ways with the Burundian coach.
Kaze was appointed only recently, but his opening spell at Babina Noko has been dominated by three consecutive defeats against Orlando Pirates.
The two sides first met in the MTN8 semi-final first leg, where Pirates secured a 1-0 victory. Sekhukhune then suffered another defeat against the Buccaneers in a league encounter before the two clubs met again in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-final.
Pirates completed the three-match sweep with a commanding victory in the return leg, progressing to another MTN8 final. The result left Sekhukhune with three defeats against the same opponent in the space of just over a week.
A difficult start for Kaze
The timing makes the situation particularly striking.
Kaze only arrived at Sekhukhune recently and was brought in with the expectation of helping the club compete at the top end of South African football.
Instead, his first major challenge quickly became a battle against Orlando Pirates, a side that has established itself as the dominant force in the MTN8.
Pirates are the defending champions and have now reached a fifth consecutive MTN8 final, making the task facing Sekhukhune particularly difficult.
The results, however, have put Kaze under pressure almost immediately.
The red card added to the problems
Kaze’s difficulties were compounded during the league meeting with Pirates when he was shown a red card.
The dismissal ruled him out of the crucial MTN8 semi-final second leg, leaving his assistants to take charge from the technical area.
That meant Sekhukhune had to attempt to overturn their first-leg deficit without their newly appointed head coach on the touchline.
It ultimately did not work.
Pirates won the second leg comfortably and advanced to the final, leaving Sekhukhune to reflect on a painful sequence of results against the same opponent.
Is Kaze really on his way out?
Reports from SoccerBeat claim that Sekhukhune are preparing to part ways with Kaze just over a month after appointing him.
However, there is an important distinction to make.
The reports about his possible departure should not yet be treated as an official dismissal. Other reporting indicates that Sekhukhune have backed Kaze despite the pressure surrounding his position.
That leaves the situation unclear.
If the club does decide to make a change, it would represent an extremely short-lived tenure for Kaze and another major coaching decision for Sekhukhune.
The bigger question for Sekhukhune
The issue goes beyond three defeats.
Sekhukhune must now decide whether the poor results against Pirates are enough to judge a coach who has only recently taken over.
There is also the question of whether Kaze should be given time to establish his methods, particularly after taking over a team that was immediately thrown into a demanding run of fixtures against one of the strongest sides in the country.
On the other hand, football is results-driven, and three defeats against the same opponent — including elimination from the MTN8 — creates significant pressure.
For Sekhukhune’s hierarchy, the decision now becomes one of patience versus immediate change.
What happens next?
For now, Kaze’s future remains one of the major talking points around Babina Noko.
The reports of a possible departure have added another layer of uncertainty to a club that has only recently begun a new chapter under the coach.
Until Sekhukhune United make an official announcement, however, Kaze’s reported exit should be treated as a developing story rather than a confirmed dismissal.
What is certain is that the pressure has arrived much earlier than anyone at the club would have wanted.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
