Orlando Pirates left-back Nkosikhona Ndaba has opened up on competing with Deon Hotto for a position in the starting line-up at the Sea Robbers.
Ndaba joined Pirates ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season from Richards Bay FC after displaying consistent performances at the KZN side. The Newcastle-born defender completed a big transfer to Pirates after making 41 appearances across all competitions for Richards Bay, where he registered four assists.
Ndaba played for several amateur teams before joining Richards Bay’s DStv Diski Challenge side and subsequently gained promotion to the first team in the 2023/24 season.
Following his rise to prominence at Bay, Ndaba caught the attention of Pirates and joined the club in July 2025 alongside Yanela Mbuthuma, who also signed from the Natal Rich Boys.
In the July transfer window, Pirates also signed players such as Sipho Mbule, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Sihle Nduli, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Abdoulaye Mariko, Lebone Seema, and Sinoxolo Kwayiba, who already parted ways with the club to return to Chippa United on a permanent deal.
WHAT NDABA SAID ABOUT COMPETING WITH HOTTO AT PIRATES
Since arriving at Pirates, Ndaba has been sharing the responsibilities at left wing-back with veteran star Deon Hotto. The 23-year-old has featured in 13 matches in all competitions, scored one goal, and provided two assists. On the other hand, Hotto played 23 matches for Pirates this season, scoring one goal and chipping in with four assists.
Ndaba has spoken out on his competition with Hotto, revealing that he learns a lot from the Namibian international. “I got a lot of motivation since I arrived at Pirates. I have been told that the positions are too tight; I must be able to adjust and learn from the things he [Hotto] does. Listening to that advice helped me a lot,” Ndaba said.
The youngster further shed light on what influenced his decision to join Orlando Pirates. “What made me come to Pirates is that I saw that they are always competing for cups and always chasing the league title. So as a player, I wish to win the league and cups.”
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