SABCnews.com reported on Thursday that Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim ”Shakes” Mashaba, who was suspended last Wednesday, has been fired by the South African Football Association (Safa).
According to the report, Mashaba’s dismissal emerged at the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday while Mashaba’s lawyers were still arguing against his suspension, claiming it was unlawful. Safa’s counsel handed a letter to the court from Safa CEO Albert Mokoena.
Mokoena said that while Mashaba’s suspension has been lifted, the coach has now been fired because he has done nothing to remedy the situation. Mashaba was last week given seven days to remedy what Safa said were breaches in his contract.
On Thursday Mashaba did not want to speak to the Mail & Guardian Online and referred queries to his lawyers.
Safa’s executive committee said Mashaba was suspended because he had failed to monitor and identify all national player information by selecting players for the national squad that were injured or that had not played for their respective clubs for long periods.
His suspension was unlawful in terms of his service agreement, Mashaba contended in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday.
”The agreement does not provide for or permit my suspension by Safa. Consequently the suspension is unlawful,” he said in court papers lodged in support of an application for a reversal of the association’s decision.
The matter stood down to Thursday for Safa to file answering papers.
Mashaba’s suspension came on the eve of Bafana Bafana’s departure for Mauritius for a Cosafa Cup match as part of their build-up for the African Nations Cup finals — a match the team lost.
No replacement coach has yet been named, SABCnews.com said.
Mashaba: ‘My suspension is unlawful’