The SA Football Association (SAFA) in Ekurhuleni is well on its way to becoming the coaching hub of Mzansi.
Just last month, the region again hosted Confederation of African Football (CAF) coaching courses program which was attended by aspiring coaches and former players.
The CAF C coaching diploma course and other groundbreaking coaching programmes were attended by some of the big names from across the country, including former Kaizer Chiefs hard-tackling midfielder Willard Katsande and erstwhile Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana player Vuyo Mere.
“A proud milestone was achieved,” said SAFA Ekurhuleni president Job Mchunu. “We successfully completed the CAF C Coaching Diploma—another step forward in the beautiful journey of football development. Grateful for the lessons, growth, and passion that keep driving the game forward.”
Boost for local football leagues
Mchunu mentioned that the region is very serious about being ahead of the game in terms of empowering coaches: “As SAFA Ekurhuleni, we pride ourselves on being leaders in coaches’ education, offering this service beyond our borders. Our country has greatly benefited from this initiative, which forms part of our key pillars of football development.
“We believe that coaches’ education is fundamental, working towards a ratio of one qualified coach for every 20 players. In 2025, we successfully hosted two CAF C Licence courses and a CAF D Licence course, which we are also rolling out to our LFAs. We can further confirm that a number of former professional players and coaches have obtained their coaching badges through SAFA Ekurhuleni.
Galaxy of attendees
“Among them are Tapuwa Kapini, Aaron Mokoena, Thabo Mngomeni, Vuyo Mere, Bennett Parker, Musa Nyatama, Happy Jele, Morgan Mammila, Thabo September and many others. We are also introducing an online introductory coaching education programme tailored for educators who are unable to be away from school for the eight (8) days required to attend the CAF D Licence course. This online option will be highly beneficial, particularly at school level, as it allows educators to gain access to coaching knowledge and accreditation without disrupting their teaching responsibilities.
“Looking ahead, we plan to host another CAF C Licence course in October/November 2025, followed by a CAF B Licence course in January/February 2026. This is a clear demonstration of our continued commitment to football development and capacity building through quality coaching education,” he added.
Among those who have enrolled for the programmes at Germiston Stadium previously is Sundowns chairman Tlhopi Motsepe. He was part of a D Licence course in 2023.
Said Willard Katsande after getting his diploma: “CAF C coaching diploma done, on to the next one. My dream is to coach one of the biggest teams.”
