Marumo Gallants have announced the arrival of Phuti Mohafe as their new head coach ahead of the much-anticipated 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.”
As previously reported by FARPost, Mohafe joins Gallants from Polokwane City FC, where he spent the past few seasons and helped establish Rise and Shine as a regular feature in the top eight of the league standings.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa have wasted no time in securing Mohafe’s services following the dramatic exit of Jamil Benouahi, who arrived at the club in the second half of the season but ultimately sat on the bench for just a single match. Before turning to Benouahi, Gallants had Alexandre Lafitte at the helm, who parted ways with the club after struggling to find consistent winning form.
Lafitte had taken over the coaching job at the start of the previous campaign with high expectations, having freshly won the Ivorian league title with Stade d’Abidjan in the 2024/25 season.
While desperate to mend the instability in their technical team—which saw them chop and change coaches three times in a single campaign—Gallants quickly snapped up Mohafe from their Limpopo rivals.
However, Mohafe faces the daunting task of transforming Gallants into a competitive outfit after they marginally survived relegation last term. They finished 14th on the log with 25 points, registering just four wins, 13 draws, and 13 defeats across 30 matches.
And with preparations for the upcoming season already underway, Gallants officially confirmed Mohafe’s appointment on Sunday afternoon, so as to allow him to spearhead the club’s pre-season training over the coming days.
MARUMO GALLANTS WELCOME PHUTI MOHAFE
“Marumo Gallants FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Phuti Mohafe as the club’s new head coach,” the club posted on its official social media pages.
“Mohafe joins Marumo Gallants from Polokwane City FC, where he served as Head Coach and played a significant role in the club’s recent progress and competitive performances in the Premier Soccer League. He is widely respected within South African football circles and brings a wealth of coaching experience, strong leadership qualities, and an in-depth understanding of the local football landscape.
“The club believes that Mohafe’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Marumo Gallants as the team continues to strengthen its ambitions both on and off the field. His experience within the South African football environment and proven ability to work effectively with players at all levels make him well-positioned to lead the Club into the future.
“The club’s management will support Mohafe to ensure a smooth transition within the squad as preparations continue for the upcoming season. The club would like to welcome Phuti Mohafe to the Marumo Gallants family and wish him every success in his new role.”
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