Betway Premiership side Polokwane City FC have officially appointed Willy Moloto as their new head coach, FARPost has reliably learnt.
Moloto’s appointment comes on the heels of Phuti Mohafe’s unexpected departure. Mohafe recently severed ties with Rise and Shine to take up an offer from fellow top-flight rivals Marumo Gallants.
Mohafe’s sudden exit sent shockwaves through the local football fraternity, particularly given Polokwane City’s impressive campaign last season. He guided the Limpopo-based outfit to a highly respectable seventh-place finish, accumulating 40 points in the process.
THE FERGUSON-WENGER U-TURN BY PHUTI MOHAFE
Interestingly, Mohafe’s departure completely contradicts comments he made towards the business end of last season. The CAF B License holder had publicly stated his desire to build a long-term legacy in Limpopo, drawing comparisons to legendary British football icons.
“When I look at Arsene Wenger, how long did he work at Arsenal? We look at Sir Alex Ferguson, how long was he there [at Manchester United]? So maybe I am taking that route, I don’t know,” Mohafe said at the time.
However, the tactician has made a swift U-turn, opting to seek greener pastures with Gallants instead of emulating the legendary Manchester United and Arsenal managers.
WILLY MOLOTO RETURNS TO ‘RISE AND SHINE’
FARPost has gathered that Moloto officially hit the ground running at the club on Thursday, 2 July 2026, taking charge of his first training sessions.
Moloto returns to the top flight after parting ways with Motsepe Foundation Championship side University of Pretoria, where he served as an assistant coach to Kwanele Kopo.
This is not Moloto’s first stint in the hot seat at Polokwane City. He previously served as co-coach alongside Innocent Mayoyo during the 2021/22 season and has extensive institutional knowledge of the club, having also steered their DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] development side. Beyond South African shores, Moloto also boasts international experience following a coaching stint with Ghanaian outfit Real Academicals.
The new head coach arrives just as the Polokwane City squad reports back for gruelling pre-season training, with the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season officially set to kick off on 1 August 2026.
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