COACH Vusumuzi Vilakazi was sent packing by Chippa United on Wednesday.
Image: Pedro Mapelo/I'solezwe lesiXhosa
The Betway Premiership relegation battle has taken another dramatic twist after Chippa United dismissed coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi with just three matches remaining in the season.
The Chilli Boys pulled the trigger following their damaging 3-1 defeat to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday afternoon, a result that further dragged the club into the growing survival crisis near the bottom of the standings.
The clash at Buffalo City Stadium had originally been scheduled for Tuesday evening but was postponed following heavy rainfall and a waterlogged pitch in the Eastern Cape.
However, the extra wait did little to improve Chippa’s fortunes as Babina Noko compounded their misery and stretched the side’s winless run to five consecutive matches.
Chairman Siviwe Mpengesi has now overseen a fourth coaching change of the 2025/26 campaign after beginning the season with Sinethemba Badela before later turning to Luc Eymael and then Vilakazi.
And with the standings tightening rapidly, the timing underlines the growing panic around the club.
Chippa currently sit 13th on 24 points after 27 matches, only three points above the relegation zone with difficult fixtures against TS Galaxy away, Golden Arrows at home and Kaizer Chiefs in Durban still to come.
The pressure intensified further following Orbit College’s crucial 2-1 victory over Magesi FC at Seshego Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Orbit entered the fixture rooted to the bottom of the table, but first-half strikes from Lucky Malatsi and Gomolemo Khoto secured only their sixth victory of the season while ending a six-match winless run.
More importantly, the result dramatically reshaped the lower end of the standings.
The Mswenko Boys climbed two places into 14th on 23 points, moving above both Marumo Gallants and Magesi in the process.
Gallants now sit 15th on 22 points after another inconsistent stretch of results, while Magesi occupy the automatic relegation spot in 16th with 21 points.
Gallants remain firmly dragged into the survival battle themselves and cannot afford further slip-ups with the pressure intensifying around the bottom four.
Their defensive struggles throughout the campaign continue to leave them vulnerable heading into the decisive final weeks.
Suddenly, only six points separate TS Galaxy in 12th from bottom-placed Magesi with three matches remaining.
That narrow gap has transformed the closing stages of the campaign into one of the tightest relegation battles seen in recent Betway Premiership seasons.
Goal difference could yet prove decisive.
Orbit currently possess the worst defensive record among the teams involved after conceding 43 goals, while Chippa’s struggles in front of goal remain equally concerning after scoring only 22 times in 27 outings.
Magesi, meanwhile, continue battling inconsistency after another defeat left them vulnerable heading into a crucial run-in.
The danger for all sides involved is that momentum now appears just as important as quality.
Orbit suddenly carry belief after their vital win, while Chippa head into the final stretch surrounded by instability following another coaching change.
Gallants and Magesi remain trapped in survival mode with every result now capable of dramatically reshaping the table.
With tension rising and margins becoming increasingly thin, the relegation picture appears destined to go down to the final weeks of the season.