Outgoing SAFA technical director Walter Steenbok is reportedly applying for the same position with the Zimbabwe Football Association, according to Sportswire.

Steenbok departed SAFA after resigning and serving a month’s notice, following numerous internal conflicts within the association.

Sportswire learned that Steenbok believed SAFA would plead with him to stay when he submitted his resignation letter.

This publication was informed that Steenbok had consistently submitted resignation letters to SAFA, but the association was reluctant to approve them.

However, when he resigned for the final time, SAFA finally accepted his resignation. He is allegedly regretting this decision, as he anticipated securing employment elsewhere.

This publication has also learned that neither Kaizer Chiefs nor Mamelodi Sundowns, his former employers, desire his return due to previous fallouts with several individuals within those clubs.

Steenbok was allegedly problematic at SAFA as well. He faced prior allegations of misconduct last year, reportedly including swearing at SAFA NEC member and Bafana Bafana head of delegation, David Molantwa.

Sportswire possesses emails where Steenbok swore at Molantwa, with SAFA president Danny Jordaan and CEO Lydia Monyepao copied on the correspondence.

This incident occurred after Steenbok called an urgent meeting in February of the previous year, which Molantwa objected to, citing the short notice. This short notice would have required some SAFA members, who are employed elsewhere, to request urgent leave.

The meeting, scheduled at SAFA House, also meant that members residing outside Gauteng would incur personal travel expenses, leading to the dispute between the two individuals.

Last month, this website reported that SAFA was considering bringing back Molefi Ntseki to fill the Technical Director role vacated by Steenbok.

However, many within SAFA are reportedly unhappy with this potential decision. Sportswire has been informed that Jack Maluleke, the head of the SAFA Technical Committee, is advocating for Ntseki’s appointment due to their close friendship.

Maluleke’s support for Ntseki is not surprising. Maluleke was the head of the delegation when the Bafana Bafana B side defeated Egypt in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers last month.

Ntseki’s name was put forward for the TD role during the technical committee meeting that took place on Tuesday.

Ntseki is allegedly slated to be nominated by Molantwa, Maluleke, Nastasia Tsichlas, Thabile Msomi, and several other NEC members of SAFA.

SAFA urgently needs to fill the TD role as they risk losing development funding from FIFA, which requires the technical director’s signature.

Ntseki was allegedly pushed by Maluleke to replace Stuart Baxter in 2019 after Bafana Bafana’s quarter-final exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

However, Ntseki failed to lead Bafana Bafana to the subsequent Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2022, losing to Sudan away in the final qualifying match when a draw would have sufficed for qualification.

SAFA ultimately dismissed Ntseki in March 2021, and he was replaced two months later by the current incumbent, Hugo Broos.