South African-born fitness and conditioning coach Ayabonga Lebitsa has made a swift return to Rwandan Premier League outfit Rayon Sports FC, just over a month after departing the club on mutual consent.

The trainer, who is fondly known as ‘Smash’, resigned from his post last year in December, citing his wife’s illness in his native country. Rayon went on to rope in Hategekimana Corneille as his replacement at the beginning of this year.

Lebitsa, who got his big break as a fitness coach at Black Poison FC thanks to Wydad Casablanca mentor Rulani Mokwena, initially joined the nine-time Rwandan champions in July 2023, where he went on to accumulate a vast amount of experience.

Interestingly, the well-traveled coach was promoted as Rayon’s interim coach earlier last year after the untimely departure of the previous caretaker coach. Lebitsa guided the club to two victories in the league and one in a domestic cup competition before returning to his original role.

Now, the 38-year-old coach has made a U-turn on the decision to part with the Kigali-based team and put pen to paper on a two-year deal that will keep him at Amahoro Stadium until 2027 as Rayon aims to clinch its first league title since the 2018/19 season.

Rayon, currently at the top of the log standings with 40 points after 17 league outings, will be determined to knock reigning champions APR FC off their perch. APR, in second place with 34 points and a game in hand, has won the last five championships in Rwanda.

Meanwhile, before pursuing a career in sports science, the Soweto-born former player turned out for Platinum Stars and Ajax Cape Town youth teams including Orlando Pirates’ reserve team. Lebitsa also played for Cape Town All Stars, Mbombela United, and Baberwa FC in the second tier.

In his growing post-football career, Lebitsa previously served the South African Under-17 national team in 2019, Bantu FC of Lesotho before making his way back home to share his expertise in Limpopo with ABC Motsepe League side Munaca FC and then top-flight team Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.