No less than six former Bidvest Wits players started for Pirates, with Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto and Dzvukamanja all making their debuts as well as former Highlands Park player Wayde Jooste.
Dzvukamanja had the first opportunity of the game. Gabadinho Mhango whipped in a free-kick from the right-hand side which found Dzvukamanja, but the Zimbabwean could only direct his header over the bar.
Dzvukamanja had another opportunity in the air in the 23rd minute and this time he would make no mistake. Wayde Jooste did well to turn his marker inside out down the right-hand side and swung in a superb inswinging cross for Dzvukamaja to time his jump perfectly and guide the ball in to the far corner.
A long, sweeping diagonal from Jooste freed Pule down the left-hand side but City keeper Peter Leeuwenburgh came off his line and just got to the ball ahead of Pule with a sliding challenge, which luckily for him came off.
City were dealt another blow soon after going behind when Lakay got himself sent off for a studs-up challenge on Jooste. Interestingly, the Citizens were also reduced to ten men at around about the same stage of the game when the sides last met, with Mpho Makola the one getting sent off on that occasion.
The visitors made the first change of the game, bringing on striker Tashreeq Morris for midfielder Mduduzi Mdantsane at half-time, with coach Jan Olde Riekerink wanting to provide a focal point up front for the Citizens after the sending-off of Lakay.
Two minutes after the interval, Mhango tested Leeuwenburgh with a quickly-taken volley but his powerful effort was straight at the City shot-stopper.
Thabo Nodada, one of the nominees for the Absa Premiership midfielder of the season last campaign, was inches away from equalising in the 65th minute when the ball was played back to him on the edge of the box and his curler grazed Wayne Sandilands' crossbar.
Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer then turned to his bench, bringing on Kabelo Dlamini for Dzvukamanja and loan returnee Tebogo Tlolane on for Hotto. Pirates had a chance to make the result more comfortable in the 85th minute when Lepasa was played through on goal but the former TS Galaxy man was thwarted by Leeuwenburgh, who came off his line to good effect.
The result is a reverse of the last fixture between the sides, as this time the Buccanneers did manage to make the most of their numerical advantage.
Pirates: Sandilands, Jooste, Hlatshwayo, Nyauza, Ndlovu, Makaringe, Motshwari, Hotto, Pule, Mhango, Dzvukamanja.
Subs: Mpontshane, Jele, Monyane, Tlolane, Mntambo, Makgaka, Lorch, Dlamini, Lepasa
City: Leeuwenburgh, Mkhize, Fielies, Mobara, Edmilson, Mokeke, Nodada, Roberts, Mdantsane, Martin, Lakay.
Subs: Anderson, Mashego, Cupido, Makola, Kewuti, Morris, Potouridis.