Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has hit back at allegations against the Buccaneers in the manner which they won the 2025/26 Betway Premiership title.
Pirates beat ORBIT College 2-0 at Mbombela Stadium to pip champions Mamelodi Sundowns to the championship by a single point in the final game of the season.
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The defeat saw Mswenko Boys being relegated back to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after just one season in topflight football.
College’s two goals conceded however came from their own players, goalkeeper Sabelo Nkomo and defender Ndumiso Ngiba, incidents that raised eyebrows from football fans with others insisting on allegations of possible match-fixing.
Ncikazi has since leapt to his side’s defence in the final episode of Bucs Camp: ‘We Fight Until The End’ docu series that’s been airing on SuperSport TV.
His argument was that he has witnessed the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs also been favoured, but suddenly questions are raised when Pirates won the league.
“I like how knives become sharper for decisions against Orlando Pirates,” he said on the series.
“If you can remember, I don’t think in the PSL it’s the first time you see two own goals in one match. You saw it in Siwelele vs Sundowns [match] but nobody is talking about it. For the first time you saw that Siwelele concede so many goals [seven goals], something that hasn’t happened in their history.
“I also saw it with Kaizer Chiefs. They played AmaZulu. I saw two own goals [in that game]. Why is it such a big issue [winning the league] if it happens with Pirates? Goes back to how much people want to see Pirates fail.
“A lot of people support Pirates but you must be aware while you’re succeeding, there are those [people] who don’t want you to succeed.
“I just see a hatred for the big institution [Orlando Pirates], which I understand. We’ve not won [the league] in 14 years. Sundowns led by 24 points [in front]. The following season 12 points [ahead] and now you win the league. Listen, people are not going to be happy.”
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