Joel Masutha has returned to Motsepe Foundation Championship side The Bees after parting ways with Kruger United, FARPost can reveal.
The experienced mentor leaves the Betway Premiership newcomers, where he served as assistant coach, just months after his appointment.
FARPost reported over the weekend that the two parties were in talks to terminate his contract and that Masutha had made it clear he wanted to leave. Those negotiations have now concluded, and he is free to complete his move.
New revelations suggest that The Bees initiated the move. The second-tier side approached Kruger United to request Masutha’s release, and Kruger agreed. His departure comes amid management changes at Village Boys.
The club has appointed Treasure Mathebula as interim chief executive officer following the chairman Bongani Wati’s departure. Wati stepped down after recently selling his shares to club president Basil Khoza.
The 54-year-old Masutha joined the Mpumalanga-based outfit ahead of the 2026/27 season to work alongside head coach Abram Mongoya, who led Kruger to the Motsepe Foundation Championship title and secured automatic promotion.
Ironically, he arrived at Kruger after helping The Bees retain their Motsepe Foundation Championship status.
MASUTHA TO REPLACE DUNCAN LECHESA AT THE BEES
Masutha’s return to the Nkomati-based club follows Duncan Lechesa’s departure. Lechesa signed a one-year contract in June, replacing Masutha after The Bees finished 10th last season. The club hoped his second-tier experience would help them improve on that finish.
However, after a difficult start to the season, the former Polokwane City coach, Lechesa, was placed on special leave. He was later dismissed, with Dominic Ramokgopa and Velile Zitha placed in temporary charge while the club searched for a successor.
Masutha has previously coached Black Leopards, Baroka FC, Pretoria Callies, Venda FC and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila. His return gives The Bees a coach who knows the club, the squad and the demands of the division.
The Bees, who earned promotion to the National First Division in 2025 after winning the Mpumalanga ABC Motsepe League stream and reaching the national play-off final, are currently 14th in the table. They have won one of their five fixtures so far and lost the other four. Masutha’s immediate task is to move them up from the bottom of the table and provide stability.
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