/ 16 January 2011

Safa cuts ties with Banyana coach

The South African Football Association (Safa) said on Saturday it would not renew the contract of suspended Banyana Banyana coach Augustine Makalakalane.

Makalakalane was suspended in December pending a full investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and homophobia levelled against him.

Testimonies were reportedly made against him by goalkeeper Nthabiseng Matshaba and former Banyana skipper Portia Modise.

The former coach told a Sunday newspaper last year that the players were “talking nonsense” and denied any wrongdoing .

Makalakalane had received a mandate to qualify the national women’s soccer team for the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany, Safa said in a statement on Saturday, but Joseph Mkhonza had been appointed last month to coach the team.

Mkhonza guided Banyana to a 3-0 away victory in Zimbabwe in December and a 2-1 win against Zambia in Lusaka on Saturday, in a first-leg Olympic qualifying encounter, in his first two matches in charge.

Banyana face Zambia in the second leg in Durban on January 29. – Sapa