Very few football fans believed former Orlando Pirates star Kudakwashe Mahachi would rise from the ashes following his tumultuous exit from South Africa’s Betway Premiership.
Mahachi parted ways with SuperSport United—now Siwelele FC in May 2023 after being released amid a marital scandal. The former Pirates attacker was facing attempted murder charges in Zimbabwe, a dark chapter that threatened to derail his career.
However, he was acquitted in November that year, but the damage was done – things were never the same. Several attempts to rejoin the Betway Premiership hit a brick wall, forcing him to head to West Africa, where he had an unsuccessful spell at Ghana’s Medeama SC.
Mahachi returned to Zimbabwe and turned out for Manica Diamonds in the 2025 season, but still, he couldn’t regain his mojo. But the year 2026 in the Zimbabwean top-flight has been defining for him. This season, the 32-year-old, who believes the 2026 season is his last chance saloon, is on the books of giants Highlanders FC.
Interestingly, Mahachi, who dazzled in the Betway Premiership while playing on the wings, has been reinvented. Under the mentorship of former Manchester City and Jomo Cosmos striker Benjani Mwaruwari, Mahachi has been deployed as a left-back, a position he has handled with aplomb.
The talented player, who possesses a deft left foot, has been putting in Man-of-the-Match shifts in the left channel, overlapping and delivering curling crosses that have left fans and foes alike impressed.
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Highlanders are winless in the seven games played in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League so far, but Mahachi’s performances have been a cut above the rest.
In seven matches, Bosso, as Highlanders are fondly known, have scored three times, in the opening matches against Bulawayo Chiefs and Dynamos, which ended 1-1 and 2-2, respectively.
That has been followed by five goalless draws against Simba Bhora, MWOS FC, FC Platinum, Scotland FC and ZPC Kariba.
After watching Mahachi in action on Monday against Scottland FC, former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Esrom Nyandoro said, “I only managed to catch up in the second half, but I think Kuda Mahachi was the Man of the Match.
Based on what I saw in the second 45 minutes, Mahachi has revived himself, and being humbled to play in that position is a big statement,” Nyandoro said on the Fanzone Podcast.
On deploying Mahachi as a left-back, Mwaruwari said: “Fortunately, Mahachi, he plays that role as well, he has an effect. So we’ve been practising that position with him.
“As you know, our left-back situation isn’t great; we don’t have many options on that side. So he is coming in very well and doing very well for the team.”
In his decent career, Mahachi made 153 appearances in the Betway Premiership, scoring 20 goals and providing 19 assists while turning out for top clubs like Sundowns, Golden Arrows, Pirates, and SuperSport United. —Farpost