Letsholonyane poised for FC Platinum assistant role as Zimbabwe market lures South African coaches

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane is close to being appointed assistant coach at Zimbabwean Premier League side FC Platinum, as the club moves to build an all-South African technical set-up.

Letsholonyane is in Zimbabwe to complete the deal, which would see him become first assistant to new head coach Thabo Senong. Both men are awaiting the finalisation of their work permits before they can officially begin their duties.

Senong, previously in charge of South Africa’s youth national teams, was recently confirmed as FC Platinum’s head coach, succeeding Joel Luphahla. The club has already started pre-season preparations while it waits for the paperwork on its South African recruits to be processed.

South African duo waiting on paperwork

With Senong and Letsholonyane not yet cleared to work, training is currently being conducted by Alex Sigion alongside Moses Mwafulirwa. The pair have taken temporary charge of sessions as FC Platinum prepares for the new campaign under its forthcoming South African-led coaching team.

Letsholonyane, widely known by his nickname “Yeye”, heads to Zimbabwe after serving as head coach of Botswana club Matebele FC. He has also previously worked in South Africa as part of the AmaZulu FC DStv Diski Challenge technical staff and holds a CAF A Licence, one of the highest coaching qualifications on the continent.

FC Platinum’s decision to bring in Senong and Letsholonyane forms part of a broader restructuring at the club, which has turned to South African expertise in an effort to refresh its technical direction.

Zimbabwe strengthens pull in COSAFA region

The move comes at a time when Zimbabwean football is increasingly seen as one of the most attractive destinations in the COSAFA region, second only to South Africa in financial terms.

Clubs in Zimbabwe paying salaries in US dollars have been able to offer packages that outstrip those available in South Africa’s Motsepe Foundation Championship and are comparable with the lower end of salaries in the DStv Premiership.

A small group of Zimbabwean clubs, including Scottland and Hardrock, are understood to be in a position to pay coaches around USD10,000 per month (approximately R168,000). That level of remuneration has made the league an appealing option for both local and returning talent.

Top-earning players in Zimbabwe are currently receiving annual packages in the region of R2.5 million. This financial pull has contributed to several Zimbabwe internationals choosing to return home in recent years, among them Prince Dube, Washington Arubi, Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Emmanuel Jalai and Gerald Takwara.

Letsholonyane’s prospective arrival at FC Platinum underlines that trend, with Zimbabwe’s top clubs increasingly able to compete for recognised names from across the region, on and off the pitch.