Kaizer Chiefs have appointed Molefi Ntseki as their new head coach while demoting Arthur Zwane to the assistant coach role.

In a surprise appointment, Chiefs have turned to Ntseki following weeks of speculation that they were looking outside club structures for a new coach after Zwane had lost the support of his bosses at Naturena.

Ntseki was handed the full reins of the first team after serving as Head of Technical and Youth Development for the past two years.

"Chiefs are pleased to formally announce the appointment of Molefi Ntseki as the new head coach of the first team, effective immediately," a club statement read.

This puts to rest rumours that the Soweto giants were talking to other coaches outside their system.

They have abandoned the reported pursuit of Nasreddine Nabi, who looked to have come close to relocating to the Premier Soccer League after recently stepping down as Young Africans coach.

Ntseki comes in after Zwane led Amakhosi through a difficult campaign last season in in which they finished fifth on the PSL table and failed to qualify for any CAF club competition.

"We would like to congratulate coach Ntseki and thank him for accepting this huge responsibility," said Chiefs executive chairman Kaizer Motuang Snr.

"We know it's not an easy task, but we believe his experience and knowledge will help us improve and achieve our goals as Kaizer Chiefs.

"He has been here for two years, working well with the coaches Arthur and Dillon [Sheppard] in his role as Head of Technical and will now work with them in a different capacity."

Ntseki and Zwane have previously worked together in the Bafana Bafana set up and the new coach is now tasked with ending an eight-year trophy drought at Naturena.