JOHANNESBURG – The South African Football Association (SAFA) has officially announced the appointment of Keneilwe Mathibela as the new Coach Education Manager, a role she stepped into as of 1st October 2023. Mathibela brings a wealth of experience to her new position, boasting an impressive background in both coaching education and sports management.
According to South African Football Association, Mathibela’s coaching education experience spans over a decade, during which she has earned qualifications as a CAF and FIFA instructor, among other credentials. She holds a BSc Sports Science degree and a BA (HMS) Recreation and Sports Management Honours degree from the University of Pretoria, as well as a Masters degree in Applied Sciences from the Tshwane University of Technology.
Mathibela is notable for being among the first group of 25 girls based at the HPC Girls academy upon its establishment in 2004. As a former captain of Banyana Banyana, South Africa’s national women’s football team, she transitioned into mentorship and coaching, subsequently becoming one of the first mentors to be seconded to the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria. Among the players who have benefited from her mentorship are several current Banyana Banyana players, including Thembi Kgatlana, Linda Motlhalo, and Robin Moodley.
On the coaching front, Mathibela obtained a CAF B Coaching License in 2011, followed by an A Coaching License in 2015, and later completed her FIFA Coaching Course. Prior to her new role with SAFA, she served as a lecturer of Sports Management at the Vaal University of Technology from 2016 to 2021.
Mathibela expressed both humility and excitement regarding her appointment. “Being part of this beautiful game is a calling that one can never easily walk away from. This is an opportunity to give back to football what the game has given to me,” she stated. Reflecting on her journey and the impact of football on her life, she shared her gratitude and sense of responsibility to contribute back to the sport and society.