23 March 2024 – CAF Coaching Instructor Honour Janza visited the CAF A Diploma Coaching course currently taking place at SAFA House. The candidates in the course are in the third phase and are scheduled to complete the diploma in June.
SAFA was previously not part of the CAF Convention for almost six years, meaning they were not licensed to host elite coaching courses. However, SAFA Technical Director Walter Steenbok presented a new manual to CAF in early 2023 which led to South Africa being readmitted into the Convention, on the basis of assessment.
Speaking to www.safa.net Janza said the main purpose of his visit was to ensure that the proposal which was submitted to CAF is being implemented.
“My main task is to tick off the checklist from CAF and make a recommendation, whether SAFA should and can host more elite coaching courses.
“It is not right that South Africa was not in the convention for so many years and it is important to note that when member associations do not comply with the CAF regulations, football suffers. A country like South Africa has too much to offer to not be empowering its people, this is a country that hosted the first ever FIFA World Cup on African soil,” he added.
“When you look at African football, the countries in the North are far ahead because they are empowering and educating their coaches. They are hosting the CAF Pro License, and when countries like South Africa can not do such, it is the whole Southern African region that suffers,” said Janza.
“I attended the theory classes on Friday morning and will continue my assessment over the next couple of days, then I will report to CAF and give my recommendation. The assessment is based on many different aspects such as facilities, resources, administration, logistics and of course the coaching manual. If South Africa ticks all the boxes, then they will be in good standing with the CAF regulations and will be allowed to host more elite coaching course,” concluded Janza.