Sinethemba Badela's debut: A promising start for Durban City

Durban City needed reassurance more than rhetoric after the departure of Gavin Hunt, and under the lights at Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday, they found it in ninety hard-earned minutes. 

New coach Sinethemba Badela’s first competitive outing in charge delivered more than just a result — it offered clarity, calm and a sense of direction at a club navigating transition.

The former Chippa United coach marked his debut with a gritty victory over Polokwane City, a performance built on resolve rather than spectacle.

It was a win that lifted City up to sixth place on the Betway Premiership table and, perhaps more importantly, suggested that the club’s mid-season technical restructuring was rooted in substance rather than slogan.

Badela was quick to redirect the spotlight away from himself, instead praising a group he believes laid the foundation for the result long before his arrival on the touchline.

“I’m very proud of the players. I think they did very well. This win isn’t just based on today but is a result of the fantastic work they did last year. What they did when they were given a break, they came back in good shape without issues,” Badela said.

Durban City’s performance was underpinned by discipline and energy, particularly against a Polokwane City side that arrived in Durban with one of the stronger defensive records in the league. 

City were forced to earn control rather than impose it, growing into the contest through structure and commitment.

“We’ve also tried to push them and introduced a few things and you can see they’re responding,” Badela added, pointing to early signs of buy-in from the squad.

The contest itself reflected the reality of a team still in transition. 

City enjoyed encouraging moments going forward but were also required to endure sustained pressure as Polokwane pressed with aggression and intent. 

Badela acknowledged that suffering was inevitable against a side that has lost just three matches this season.

“It’s very difficult to have full control of games for the entire ninety minutes and playing against a very good team that’s lost just three games this season. They are very aggressive as well, so we had to suffer in periods, but we asked the boys to enjoy being on the pitch, attacking and defending, and I saw that,” he said.

While the result provided a timely boost, Badela was careful not to overstate its significance. The coach stressed that progress would be measured over time rather than weeks, particularly as the players continue to adapt to new ideas.

“Although I do see the signs, it takes time. We cannot do it in three weeks. The players have committed to it, but we’re still doing it in patches and we have to put it together,” he explained.

“But overall I’m happy, especially with our attack. I thought we could’ve scored more goals today. We’ll keep improving,” Badela added.

For Badela, it was a composed first step — grounded in belief, patience and purpose — as he begins shaping City in his image.