Mpumi Khoza hails youth system after Orlando Pirates seal sensational domestic treble

Orlando Pirates director of football Mpumi Khoza says trusting the overarching internal system and receiving unwavering support from chairman Irvin Khoza were the primary driving forces behind the club’s monumental success this season — including clinching the Betway Premiership title on Saturday afternoon.

Pirates defeated Orbit College 2–0 in a high-stakes season finale at the Mbombela Stadium to finish top of the final standings with 69 points — narrowly edging out former champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who ended as runners-up on 68 points.

The Sea Robbers emphatically ended their painful 14-year wait for the league title while simultaneously completing an historic domestic treble, having already hoisted the MTN8 and Carling Knockout trophies earlier this season.

Pirates’ immense success would simply not have been possible without the playing squad — capably led by captain Nkosinathi Sibisi — and the technical team under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, who won his first league title — and domestic treble — in his very first season at the helm of the Soweto giants.

An elated Khoza credited the club’s meticulous scouting processes and increased investment in youth development, noting that the strategy paid massive dividends this season.

“I think for us, it’s much more about the system,” Khoza told SuperSport TV during an emotional post-match interview in Nelspruit. “The system has definitively proved that if we continue down this path and invest heavily in the youth, we’ll continue to enjoy sustained success both locally and on the continent.”

Khoza also reserved special praise for iconic chairman Irvin Khoza, thanking the veteran administrator for his continued support and total trust in the club’s long-term corporate vision.

“I think this is the definitive moment where we have to thank the chairman. Through his backing and leadership, this is the best way we can possibly repay him for trusting us to invest in the youth and make sure we take this historic brand to even greater heights,” he noted.

Pirates also completed a magnificent double championship-winning season after the club’s reserve side secured the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) league title, holding off intense competition from Mamelodi Sundowns’ reserve team.

With the club’s youth structures continuing to flourish at an elite level, Khoza firmly believes the future remains incredibly bright for Pirates and that the necessary foundations are in place for prolonged success.

“We are highly fortunate that our DDC team was able to compete so strongly this season. We possess a massive volume of talent at the club, which will allow us to reflect and decide exactly what the next step will be,” he concluded.