Lafitte Appointed Siwelele Coach Following Seema Sacking

Sportswire can confirm that Siwelele has appointed Frenchman Alexandre Lafitte as the club’s new head coach.

This publication revealed on Tuesday that Siwelele were targeting the French tactician, and the move has since been fast-tracked, with a source confirming that the deal has been finalized.

The development follows Siwelele’s decision on Monday to relieve head coach Lehlohonolo Seema and his assistant—former Orlando Pirates defender Willem Jackson—of their duties.

The coaching shuffle came in the wake of a 3-2 Betway Premiership defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday, leaving Siwelele 14th in the standings with just two points from five matches.

However, club chairman Calvin le John subsequently clarified in the radio interview that the duo were suspended pending an internal review into the team’s poor run of results rather than outright dismissed.

In the interim, DStv Diski Challenge coach Godfrey Mosoetsa was handed charge of the senior squad. Mosoetsa, who previously served as Kaitano Tembo’s assistant at SuperSport United and led Siwelele’s reserve team to a third-place finish in the Diski Challenge last season, took the dugout for Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Despite Mosoetsa stepping in temporarily, sources confirm that Lafitte was always lined up to take over the head coaching role permanently.

The 29-year-old French manager, who holds a UEFA A Licence and was the PSL’s youngest head coach last season, previously guided Marumo Gallants to the Carling Knockout Cup final before falling to cup specialists Orlando Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Lafitte was relieved of his duties at Gallants in March following a seven-match winless run across all competitions, culminating in a 1-0 defeat to Pitso Dladla’s Durban City at Lucas Moripe Stadium on 1 March.

He had remained without a club since his departure until finalizing terms with Siwelele.