Siwelele suspend Lehlohonolo Seema after winless start to Betway Premiership

Siwelele have suspended head coach Lehlohonolo Seema and his assistant, Willem Jackson, following the club’s 3-2 defeat by Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership.

The decision was taken a day after the loss, which left Siwelele with only two points from their opening five league matches. They remain without a victory, and the club’s hierarchy is understood to have lost confidence in Seema’s ability to improve the team’s form in the coming weeks.

Seema will not be in the dugout when Siwelele play Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Stadium on Wednesday. The fixture is another Betway Premiership match and comes at a difficult moment for the club, who are already concerned about the possibility of being pulled into a relegation fight despite the season being only five matches old.

It remains unclear who will take temporary charge of the team. Siwelele are considering a number of options, including promoting Godfrey Mosoetsa from the reserve team on an interim basis.

The suspension follows Sunday’s defeat at Dobsonville Stadium, with the public broadcaster understanding that the decision was made after that result. A suspension of this nature can often be followed by a permanent split, although there has been no confirmation that Seema has left the club.

Seema joined Siwelele last season after the club acquired the status previously held by SuperSport United. His initial task was to help guide the side away from relegation, but the team’s latest run has intensified concerns over their position in the league.

The club also lost several important players at the end of last season. Among the most notable departures was captain and goalkeeper Ricardo Goss, who returned to Mamelodi Sundowns after his loan spell ended.

Siwelele moved to strengthen their goalkeeping options by signing Jody February on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns over the weekend. However, February was not included in the team selected for the defeat by Kaizer Chiefs.

The club’s poor start has therefore placed renewed pressure on the coaching staff before Wednesday’s meeting with the reigning domestic powerhouses. With Seema and Jackson suspended, Siwelele must now decide whether to appoint a short-term replacement or make a broader change to their technical team.

If Seema ultimately leaves, he would become the second Betway Premiership manager to depart this season. Sekhukhune United have already parted company with Cedric Kaze.