South Africa dismiss coach Mashaba
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) -- South Africa have fired coach Ephraim Mashaba one day before the team leaves for the African Nations Cup finals in Tunisia.
Assistant coach Styles Phumo has been appointed as his replacement, SAFA president Molefi Oliphant said.
Mashaba had been suspended for the last seven days for an alleged breach of contract and news of his dismissal was delivered in a letter.
The missive said that Mashaba had failed to make any effort to remedy the reasons for his suspension.
"In light of the failure your services are hereby cancelled," the letter, signed by SAFA's chief executive officer Albert Mokoena, said.
Announcing Mashaba's suspension on January 7, SAFA said he had failed to monitor the form of the country's foreign-based footballers and to promote the ruling body's image.
Officials said that he could lose his job if he failed to recall players like Manchester United's Quinton Fortune and others who have fallen out with Mashaba in recent months.
Mashaba went to court on Tuesday seeking to overturn his suspension by arguing that the ban made it impossible "for me to comply with contractual requirements to remedy the alleged breaches."
The action was postponed until Thursday to allow SAFA to prepare papers and it was at court that Mashaba was served with his dismissal.
Mashaba missed last Saturday's international in Mauritius, when Phumo stepped in for a Cosafa Castle Cup match that ended in an embarrassing 2-0 defeat.
The 63-year-old Phumo is South African-born but has spent much of his life in Lesotho, where he was twice coach of the country's national side.
South Africa's team leaves on Friday for a friendly in Dakar against Senegal on Sunday and travel to Tunisia on Monday.
They are in Group D at the Nations Cup finals along with Nigeria, Morocco and Benin, who they play in their opening game on January 27.
