Leemisa Thuseho
LIFOFANE coach, Nkosana Mabena, has resigned from his position after being placed on forced leave by the club last month following a poor start to the ongoing Vodacom Premier League (VPL) season.
Mabena tendered his resignation over the weekend when he was expected to resume his duties on 1 November, indicating that it would take effect from 7 November.
He had been sent on leave after a string of disappointing results in the early stages of the season, with the club expecting him to return to work at the beginning of this month.
However, his return took an unexpected turn when he submitted his resignation, which management has since accepted.
Having finished second last season and scooped the Most Improved Team award, Lifofane have struggled to replicate that performance this campaign.
By the time Mabena was sent on leave, he had overseen six league matches, recording four defeats, one victory and one draw.
During his absence, the team has been under the guidance of his assistant, Gabriel Njerengo, who has so far overseen three matches, winning two and losing one.
Lifofane Communications and Marketing Manager, Teboho Ntoane, confirmed the developments to the Lesotho Times yesterday.
“After the hard work and good performance last year, management had noticed a huge decline this year and decided to give the coach some time to rest,” Ntoane said.
“His leave ended at the end of October, and he was expected to resume duties on 1 November. However, upon his arrival, he tendered his resignation, indicating that it would take effect on 7 November.”
Ntoane said management had accepted Mabena’s request, although the two parties were yet to finalise the separation.
“Management has since considered his request, but there are still contractual clauses that both parties have to agree on before finalising the separation, given that the coach’s contract is still active,” Ntoane explained.
Mabena signed a new one-year contract with Lifofane towards the beginning of this season, which was expected to run until the end of the 2026/27 campaign.
Meanwhile, Ntoane said Njerengo would remain in charge as interim coach until management decided otherwise.
The Lesotho Times has also learnt that Mabena has returned to his home in South Africa.
In several previous interviews, Mabena had repeatedly warned that it would be difficult for Lifofane to replicate last season’s performance. He cited the departure of key players and the limited resources available to the club, which represents one of the country’s smaller districts.
Among the notable departures were Khotso Molelengoane, Neo Motsamai, Monyane Senatla and Sello Japhta, who joined Lioli, alongside several other players who left the club.
Mabena had maintained that it would take time for his revamped squad to reach the level of performance Lifofane displayed last season.
