Siwelele Chairman Reveals Major Club Changes

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Siwelele FC is shaking things up after a dismal start to the Betway Premiership season. 

The newly-formed club has suffered five losses, with the latest being a 2-0 defeat to Magesi FC on Saturday. In response, the club has confirmed significant changes to both its hierarchy and technical team.

Chairman Calvin Le John announced Sunday that CEO Stan Matthews and assistant coach Andre Arendse have left the club. 

This move signals the club’s frustration with their current position and their commitment to turning the season around.

Le John also confirmed that former Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates defender Willem Jackson has been appointed as the new assistant coach.

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STAN MATTHEWS & ANDRE ARENDSE LEAVE SIWELELE 

“Greetings, Masele, I come to you today with good and bad news, but before that, I would like to give you guys context,” Le John said on the club’s social media platforms.

“When we started the journey of purchasing SuperSport United, there were two conditions that we had to meet. The first one was that we were going to take in all the staff from SuperSport United, and the second one was that the team would be based in Gauteng for at least one season.

“We did so, and we will continue doing so. We are the only team that has played all its games as away games. Unfortunately, this has forced us to compromise on traveling, so we’ve put a policy in place that requires us to fly only when traveling above 600 kilometers. We are not in this for profit, but we are also not in it for the loss, and we have to follow our budget regardless of how the media feels about it.

“Now for the bad news, we’ve parted ways with our CEO, Stan Matthews, and our assistant coach, Andre Arendse. They have been great men to work with, but we cannot keep them on bought when their lives are threatened on a daily basis. We are also going to terminate the contracts of players who have not shown the heart and the willingness to fight for this team.

“To the good news, I’d like to introduce our new CEO, a lady by the name of Lerato Kholoanyane. I know that she’s what this club needs. I’d also like to introduce our new assistant coach, Willem Jackson, who played for this team. He knows and understands the culture.”

Who is Lerato Kholoanyane?

South African entrepreneur Lerato Kholoanyane has been appointed acting CEO of Siwelele FC after Stan Matthews stepped down due to safety concerns involving him and assistant coach Andre Arendse.

Siwelele chairman Calvin Le John praised Kholoanyane as “one of the most successful people I know” and a devoted supporter from Botshabelo. She was briefly a co-director and reportedly assisted in securing the club’s status for Calvyn Le’John Stanley, son of Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie.

McKenzie described her as a wealthy businesswoman with hotel and commercial interests, noting she resigned early and opted not to pursue a long-term role in football.

Lerato Kholoanyane
<!-- Author Start -->Nkosiyabuya Sithole<!-- Author End -->

Nkosiyabuya Sithole

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Nkosiyabuya Sithole, a young and rising sports journalist based in Durban, South Africa, harbors a deep passion for football. Nevertheless, he aspires to become a well-rounded journalist, adept in various areas of the field.