Lesotho’s Bantu Football Club has moved swiftly to clarify the precise nature of Lehlohonolo Seema’s arrival at the club, following initial reports suggesting a more permanent and senior coaching role.
The experienced 44-year-old, whose recent departure from South Africa’s Sekhukhune United sparked considerable discussion, has indeed joined the Maseru-based outfit, but in a temporary “supportive capacity” for the current head coach, Charles Manda.
Seema’s move to Bantu FC comes on the heels of a somewhat unpredictable period with Sekhukhune United in the Betway Premiership. Despite guiding the club to an impressive fourth-place finish last season and a commendable appearance in the Nedbank Cup final, his initial dismissal earlier in the season raised eyebrows.
While he was subsequently reinstated following Peter Hyballa’s exit, his second tenure was also short-lived, ultimately leading to Eric Tinkler’s appointment.
Read: Former Sekhukhune United head coach Lehlohonolo Seema snapped up by topflight outfit
During the week, reports indicated that Bantu FC had appointed Seema as their new “Senior Coach,” stating that he would immediately integrate into the technical team and collaborate with Malawian head coach Charles Manda for the remainder of the current season.
This announcement generated excitement, given Seema’s proven pedigree in recent history. Bantu FC had initially expressed their enthusiasm in securing his services, emphasizing his established track record.
However, the club has since issued a clarifying statement, explicitly apologizing for any misunderstanding arising from their initial communication.
The revised announcement underscores that Seema’s involvement is strictly in a “supportive capacity” to Charles Manda, who retains his position as the head coach. Furthermore, Bantu FC emphasized that Seema’s engagement is “on a temporary basis,” as he remains open to exploring other professional opportunities.
The statement released on the club’s official social media page, clearly headlined “CLARIFICATION,” reads: “Following the club’s recent announcement regarding the involvement of Mr. Lehlohonolo Seema with our team, we understand that some confusion has arisen concerning his role.
We wish to clarify that Mr. Seema has joined the club in a supportive capacity to assist the current Head Coach, Mr Charles Manda, who continues to serve as the Head Coach of the team.
Mr. Seema’s engagement with the club is on a temporary basis as he remains open to pursuing other professional opportunities. The club sincerely apologises for any misunderstanding caused by the previous announcement.”
Intriguingly, this isn’t Seema’s first recent interaction with Bantu FC. Just two weeks after his departure from Sekhukhune United, he was contacted by the Lesotho club to assist them in the final of the prestigious People’s Cup.
The former Orlando Pirates defender spent three days working with the team in preparation for the March 15th final, which saw Bantu FC emerge victorious with a narrow 1-0 win against Matlama FC at Mants’onyane.
Currently, Bantu FC occupies the third position in the Lesotho Premier League standings, having accumulated 50 points from 24 matches. They trail the league leaders, Lioli FC, by a margin of seven points.
Seema’s temporary support role will undoubtedly be seen as a valuable asset as Bantu FC aims to close this gap in the remaining fixtures of the season.