'Yeye' Letsholonyane drafted into SA men’s U20 technical team

Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs star midfielder Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane has been drafted into the technical team of the South African U20 men’s national team (Amajita) to work with head coach Raymond Mdaka. 

Also part of the technical team are Donald Mojaki (Sol Plaatje University) and Karabo Mogudi (University of Johannesburg, Varsity Cup) and they will work under the guidance of Safa technical director Walter Steenbok. 

Letsholonyane, who also played for Jomo Cosmos, SuperSport United, Highlands Park and TS Galaxy during his illustrious career that includes a league and cup double winner with Amakhosi, holds the Caf A licence, the second-highest coaching badge. 

This means he qualifies to be a head coach in the DStv Premiership with his A licence if the South African Football Association (Safa) succeeds in its plan to impose minimum requirements on top-flight coaches. 

Until recently, Letsholonyane coached AmaZulu U17s before he was promoted to their reserve DStv Diski Challenge team where he worked closely with Mbulelo “OJ” Mabizela and Andile Cele.

The U20 will be in camp between March 21 and 28 at the Safa Technical Centre in Johannesburg to prepare for 2025 Afcon qualifiers in September. 

“We are looking forward to building a great team,” Mdaka told www.safa.net ahead of the camp. “We have selected players who are doing very well in their respective leagues. We believe that we have a comprehensive plan for the next two years.

“Following the Safa methodology workshop, which was hosted in January 2024, we have a very good understanding of the mandate set for us as the U20 national team. 

“We are confident that we will be able to deliver on it. We are very excited about the first camp where we have called up 41 players,” concluded Mdaka. 

Mdaka and his technical team have included highly promising players such as Jabulani Mokone (Orlando Pirates), Masibonge Ngidi (AmaZulu), Shandre Campbell (SuperSport United), Luphumlo Sifumba (Cape Town City) Mfundo Vilakazi (Kaizer Chiefs), Siyabonga Mabena (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Luke Baartman (Cape Town Spurs).