The South African Football Association (SAFA) has officially appointed
Molefi Ntseki as its new Technical Director and reaffirmed Desiree Ellis as
the head coach of Banyana Banyana, following a National Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting in Mbombela.
In a move aimed at ensuring long-term stability, both Ntseki and Ellis have
been handed four-year contracts. The appointments were ratified after being
recommended by the SAFA Technical Committee, with the NEC endorsing the
decisions.
The meeting also served as a celebration of South African football’s recent
achievements. The NEC extended congratulations to the U-20 men’s team,
Amajita, for their historic performance at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in
Chile. Under coach Raymond Mdaka, the side became the first South African
national team to win two matches at a FIFA World Cup and advanced to the
Round of 16 for the first time since 2009.
This youth success was highlighted as a key part of the national strategy.
SAFA revealed that FIFA has expressed support for Ntseki’s technical
programmes and has commended the country for its recent progress in youth
development, evidenced by both the U-17 and U-20 teams qualifying for their
respective World Cup tournaments.
The executive committee’s agenda culminated in a triumphant evening at the
Mbombela Stadium, where they witnessed Bafana Bafana secure a decisive 3-0
victory over Rwanda to officially qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The
NEC praised coach Hugo Broos and the team for their outstanding performance,
which restored a sense of pride and unity to the national side.
