Newly appointed Magesi FC head coach Katlego Sibiya has promised the club’s supporters that he will do everything possible to guide Dikwena Tsa Meetse back to the Betway Premiership at the first attempt following their relegation at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Sibiya, who has built a solid reputation as one of the country’s most successful coaches in the lower divisions, was unveiled as the club’s new mentor after replacing Alan Freese, whose tenure came to an end after he failed to prevent the Moletji-based outfit, situated outside Polokwane, from dropping into the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
The club also announced a major restructuring of its technical team as part of its rebuilding process. Experienced football administrator and coach Morgan Mammila has been appointed as technical director, while the club also strengthened its backroom staff with Aubrey Vilakazi and Rene McCarthy as the addition of a goalkeeping coach and a video analyst ahead of the new campaign. Nkosinathi Shongwe has been tasked with fitness coaching role.
Speaking after his appointment, Sibiya admitted that the challenge ahead would not be easy but expressed confidence that Magesi possess enough quality to mount a serious promotion challenge.
“It is a huge responsibility to coach a club like Magesi FC because the supporters expect success, and they deserve to see their team competing in the top flight. Relegation is painful, but it is not the end of the journey. Our focus now is on rebuilding the team’s confidence and creating a winning culture,” said Sibiya.
“It is not going to be an easy task to bring the club back to the Premier Division, but with the kind of playing tactics, discipline and hard work our players are going to be exposed to, I believe we will achieve our objective. Every training session will have a purpose, and every player will have to fight for his place.”
The former Highbury FC coach said the team would not underestimate the Motsepe Foundation Championship, describing it as one of the toughest leagues in South African football.
“This league is extremely competitive. There are many clubs with ambitions of gaining promotion and every match is like a cup final. We are going to prepare properly because there are no easy games. We want to play attractive football, but at the same time, we must be effective and collect points consistently.”
Sibiya also called on the club’s supporters to remain patient during the rebuilding phase.
“I understand the disappointment of our supporters after relegation, but I want to assure them that everyone at the club is committed to bringing smiles back to their faces. We need them to continue supporting the team because together, we can achieve promotion.”
The coach arrives at Magesi with an impressive record in South Africa’s lower divisions. He is widely credited with transforming Highbury FC from a struggling side at the foot of the ABC Motsepe League standings into one of the country’s most competitive teams.
Under his leadership, Highbury produced an outstanding turnaround, eventually winning promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship two seasons ago. His tactical discipline, ability to develop young players, and knack for building competitive squads earned him widespread praise within local football circles.
Those achievements convinced Magesi’s management that he is the right man to lead the club’s rebuilding project after a disappointing campaign that ended with relegation from the Betway Premiership.
The appointment of Morgan Mammila as technical director is also expected to play a significant role in the club’s revival. Mammila brings years of experience in football administration, player recruitment and coaching, and having worked at several professional clubs across the country.
Magesi are expected to begin pre-season preparations in the coming weeks as Sibiya assesses his squad and identifies areas requiring reinforcement before the start of the 2026/27 Motsepe Foundation Championship season.
The club’s immediate objective will be to challenge automatic promotion and ensure that Dikwena Tsa Meetse makes a swift return to South African football’s elite division.
