25 April 2025 – The sterling work done by the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Head of Coach Education, Keneilwe Mathibela, has not gone unnoticed and she has been approached by FIFA to oversee the delivery of coaching development programmes on the continent.
She will be working with CAF on behalf of FIFA and will among other responsibilities also:
– Manage and implement FIFA Coaching Development Programmes on the CAF continent
– Train FIFA technical experts
– Coordination and involvement of coach educators
– Ensure the quality and effectiveness of the programme delivery
Mathibela, who joined SAFA in November 2023, said her departure is bittersweet.
“It is a bittersweet moment now where I unfortunately have to depart and take up a new role which came with the opportunities that were created by the Association. I would like nothing less than being thankful and showing gratitude for all that the Association has done for me,” she said.
“I regard myself as a product of the Association, coming through the ranks, the development from the HPC Girls Academy in Pretoria, and going back to the academy after my graduation to be a mentor for some of the incredible players that are currently playing and at the core of the national team.
“And then having been a coach educator and serving the nation for almost 15 years and having sat in the office now for a year and a half, I am truly grateful for what the Association has done for me. I will gladly take all that I have learned into the next journey that I’m about to embark on, and I believe that my development will definitely affect and, you know, take back to the Association as I will always be involved. So I would like to thank the Association and I would like to thank FIFA for granting me the opportunity as well to join the team, where I believe that I will also gain more knowledge and experience and grow as an individual, but also understanding that my growth will definitely benefit those that I will associate with and come in contact with.”