Mabhuti Khenyeza has apparently stepped down as co-coach of Golden Arrows due to ongoing disagreements and an alleged toxic work environment.

The former Kaizer Chiefs, SuperSport United, and Mamelodi Sundowns striker, who has had multiple stints with the club, felt that his role was being interfered with, making it difficult to carry out his duties effectively.

Khenyeza was currently working as co-coach along with Musa Bilankulu and Kagisho Dikgacoi.   

He leaves the club perched sixth in the Betway Premiership table with 13 points after eight matches.

As a player, Khenyeza left Arrows in 2007 for Chiefs before rejoining the Durban-based side in 2015, when the club was in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.  

He helped fire Arrows back into the top flight by gaining the PSL promotion under coach Shaun Bartlett.  

He then left in 2016 as he was allegedly not seeing eye-to-eye with then-coach Clinton Larsen.  

He went on to join AmaZulu, where his playing career ended in 2018, before joining Maritzburg United (now Durban City) as an assistant coach to Muhsin Ertugral.  

Following that stint, he returned to AmaZulu as an assistant coach and then went on to work as the DStv Challenge coach for TS Galaxy, before returning to Arrows in 2021.  

He served as the assistant coach of Lehlohonolo Seema before the former Orlando Pirates defender was sacked in March 2022 following a 6-0 mauling by Sundowns.  

Khenyeza finished the 2021/22 season as co-caretaker along with Vusi Vilakazi.  

When Vilakazi left in September 2023, Khenyeza stayed behind and worked with Steve Komphela, before the latter left to join Sundowns during the start of this season.   

“Khenyeza is no longer part of the team,” said the source. 

“He was never fired, but there were so many disagreements of not getting along with regards to the work he was doing and in his opinion, it became toxic.” 

“Because he is a coach and he has his demands and how he wants to work, he decided to step away. He was never fired, but he stepped away and just left the club.”

“The environment was never conducive for him. We have to set the record straight because Khenyeza feels he has been as professional as he could have been despite the challenges he feels he faced. Truly speaking he is hurt because he loves Arrows.”

“But all in all, Khenyeza was no longer happy at Arrows and I can safely tell you that he’s no longer part of Arrows.” 

Arrows have been approached to comment and unfortunately, at the time of publication, we have not received any comment.

Khenyeza, 42, was one of the finest strikers in the PSL, having been one of few to have scored over 100 goals. He will forever be remembered for scoring the quickest goal, 19 seconds, in the Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Chiefs in November 2007 in front of FIFA dignitaries including then FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, at Kings Park Stadium, ahead of the 2010 World Cup preliminary draw in Durban.  

Another milestone for Khenyeza was scoring twice as Ajax Cape Town claimed the Carling Knockout in the 2008/09 season when they beat Pirates at Chatsworth Stadium.