Tinkler left Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko last month after a brief stay in West Africa and returns to the Betway Premiership, where he has extensive experience.
He previously coached Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, Cape Town City, Sekhukhune United and Maritzburg United, which has rebranded as Durban City, so has experience of working with owner Farouk Kadodia, who axed coach Khalil Ben Youssef early in the campaign.
“I’m excited to be part of what is being built here at Durban City FC,” Tinkler said. “The club is very ambitious. They have made positive strides in a short space of time, competing in the CAF Confederation Cup already, and that made my decision easy.
“The chairman is someone I’ve worked with before. When the opportunity presented itself to come back, I grabbed it with both hands.
“I don’t want to make massive changes because last season the club was successful. It’s about giving others an opportunity and getting back to winning ways.
“We want to finish in the top eight, go as far as we can in the CAF Confederation Cup, and compete in the Carling Cup and Nedbank Cup. There’s a lot to play for.”
Kadodia welcomed Tinkler back to the club.
“Eric brings a wealth of experience in South African football and understands what is required at this level. We believe he is the right person to lead the team and help us achieve what we have set out to achieve this season,” he said.
Tinkler will face off against high-flying AmaZulu in a Durban derby in his first game in charge on Tuesday.