Football fraternity grieves once more
NTHAKO MAJORO
MASERU – The Lesotho football community is mourning once again with the untimely passing of Mehalalitoe Coach Pule Khojane last Saturday. His demise coincided with the funeral of former Likuena coach Moses Maliehe, both hailing from Berea. According to the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), Khojane succumbed to a brief illness. In a press release, LeFA stated: “The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has been plunged into mourning again with the untimely passing of Mehalalitoe Coach, Pule Khojane after a short illness.”
“The Berea-born Khojane, who had been in charge of the Lesotho women’s national team (Mehalalitoe) over the last two years, passed away last Saturday as the football community in the Kingdom gathered in his home town of Teyateyaneng to pay their last respects to former Likuena head coach, Moses Maliehe.”
Apart from his role as the Mehalalitoe coach, Khojane was a highly rated football educator both locally and on the African continent. He was also a widely known LeFA and CAF’s Coach Educator who got to be handed the responsibility of facilitating the first CAF A Licence Coaching Diploma since CAF halted its coaching course in 2017 when the continental body called for a coaching convention to review and standardise coaching content across the continent.” The local football mother-body furthermore prides itself on having invested in the late Khojane.
“LeFA invested heavily in the late Khojane, who just in November attended the FIFA (Federation of International Football Association)/CAF Regional Pathway Coach Educators Development Programme on-site course in Ghana.”
The association’s president, King’s Counsel (KC) Salemane Phafane conveyed his condolences to Khojane’s family and friends. “The LeFA President Advocate Salemane Phafane (KC), on behalf of the football fraternity in the Kingdom, conveys his sincere condolences and heartfelt sorrow to his family, Mehalitoe players and officials, friends, Rovers FC, (and) NULIS (National University of Lesotho International School), where he worked as a teacher, and the football fraternity at large.”
The press release further reads: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family, friends, Rovers FC, Mehalalitoe players, and management for the untimely death of a very talented football technician. Khojane, much like Maliehe, had previously coached the Berea Premiership side, Lioli. The late Khojane, aged 46, was also a teacher by profession.
“The Lesotho football community mourns the loss of Coach Pule Khojane, and may his soul rest in peace,” states the LeFA press release.
