‘Yeki’ in new look Sihlangu
Nsingizini Hotspurs Yekisizwe Khumalo negotiating his way past Simba Bhora players.
By Sibusiso Masilela
Justice has been served.
2024/25 MTN Premier League Player of the Season and 8Bet Trade Fair Cup 2025 Player Of The Tournament Yekisizwe ‘Yeki’ Khumalo, has been included in the Sihlangu squad.
He will be part of the nation’s pride squad that will face Angola and Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month. Notably, he was overlooked by former Sihlangu coach Zdravko Logarusic in the recent FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Angola and Libya.
This follows the elevation of assistant coach Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane to the Interim Head Coach position following the departure of Croatian mentor Zdravko Logarusic, who recently left the job by mutual consent. Ntibane will be assisted by Mbabane Highlanders head coach Ernest Mavuso.
The pair once served as co-coaches after being assistant coaches to former head coach Dominic Kunene. A source close to the matter revealed that the former Moneni Pirates player will be part of the senior national team.
“Yeki is included in the new look Sihlangu that will be announced before the end of the week, together with other players such as Ayanda Kunene (Royal Leopards) and the Manzini Sea Birds trio of Muzi Tsabedze, Philani Mkhonto and Mpendulo Thomo,” the source said.
Khumalo helped the Shiselweni-based side win the previous campaign league title to qualify for the current campaign CAF Champions League.
EFA said the squad would be announced in due course through a press statement. “Preparations for the forthcoming matches will commence on the 25th of September 2025, with the Acting Head Coach expected to announce his list of selected players on the 24th of September 2025.
Preparations, at this point, will commence without the players who would have been selected from Nsingizini Hotspurs FC and Royal Leopards FC, who are currently playing in the first-round matches of the preliminary phase of the CAF Interclub competitions. Players who would be selected belonging to these two clubs are expected to join the national team on Monday, 29th September 2025,” the organisation said.
The mother body further congratulated Sifiso Ntibane on his appointment as interim head coach.
“EFA wishes to take this opportunity to congratulate Sifiso Ntibane on his assumption of this new role, albeit on an acting basis, and welcomes Ernest Mavuso into the technical team of the national team and counts on their professional aptitudes to steward the national team in the forthcoming matches, and as such solicits the support of all stakeholders.
The EFA Executive Committee will meet upon the conclusion of the World Cup qualifiers to discuss the medium- and long-term landscape of the national team,” the organisation said.
