Lehlohonolo Seema is the latest coach to lose his job in the 2026/27 Betway Premiership, with Siwelele FC ending his tenure along with that of assistant coach Willem Jackson.
The decision was confirmed on Monday, September 7, following Siwelele’s 3-2 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday. The result added to a difficult opening to the campaign for the Bloemfontein-based club.
Siwelele struggling for results
Siwelele have collected just two points from their opening five league matches, leaving the club under pressure early in the season. Their latest defeat to Chiefs proved to be the final result before the club made changes to its technical team.
The club said the decision followed what it described as a “disappointing start” to the 2026/27 campaign.
“Following a disappointing start to the 2026/27 season, Siwelele FC has relieved Head Coach Lehlohonolo Seema and Assistant Coach Willem Jackson of their first-team duties while the club conducts a review of the senior team’s performance and technical programme,” the club said in a statement.
Siwelele have also endured a difficult run of form dating back to the previous campaign, with the club recording only two wins in its last 14 matches across that period.
Godfrey Mosoetsa takes charge
Former Siwelele player and club official Godfrey Mosoetsa has been appointed caretaker coach with immediate effect while the club reviews its technical programme and considers its next move.
Club chairman Calvin le John said the club understood the frustration among supporters but insisted that its broader project remained intact.
“This has been a challenging period for the club, and our supporters deserve better than what they have seen so far this season,” the club said through le John’s statement.
“Our belief in this team, in our players and in what we are building at Siwelele remains unchanged.”
The club added that the season was still young and called on its players, staff and supporters to remain united.
“Our season is still young. We will face the challenge in front of us together, as one team and one family,” the statement read.
Seema leaves after a difficult tenure
Seema’s departure comes just over a year after he took charge of the newly formed Siwelele project. The former Lesotho international had a long association with Bloemfontein Celtic, both as a player and coach, making his appointment at Siwelele particularly significant given the club’s attempt to build a new identity around the football heritage of Bloemfontein.
He had previously coached clubs including Bloemfontein Celtic, Chippa United, Black Leopards, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Polokwane City and Sekhukhune United.
Seema also arrived at Siwelele with the challenge of helping establish a new Premiership club following the purchase of SuperSport United’s top-flight status. The club subsequently went through a difficult first season before stabilising under his guidance.
Pressure mounts early in the season
The coaching change highlights the intense pressure surrounding Premiership clubs when results fail to meet expectations, particularly at the start of a campaign.
Siwelele now face the task of recovering their season under Mosoetsa, with the club’s next fixtures including a trip to face Mamelodi Sundowns, followed by home matches against Lamontville Golden Arrows and Polokwane City.
The club said it will make a further announcement on its coaching structure once the review has been completed, while indicating that it will not comment further during the process.
