Khaya Mngwengwe takes over as Chairperson of KZNHSFA
The Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) season kicks off in mid-April, with Khaya Mngwengwe succeeding Daniel Haswell, who has been instrumental in the development of KZN schools’ football, as the Chairperson of the Association.
Mngwengwe also serves as the Director of Soccer at Glenwood High, where he has played a pivotal role in nurturing the talented Green Machine, guiding them to the Coastal A-League title in both 2023 and 2024.
Those achievements highlight his commitment to KZN football, as does his earning the CAF B Coaching License in 2024.
In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools Plus, Mngwengwe said his passion for football began in eMolweni, where he played the game daily, like many of the local boys. He attended Forest View Primary School and represented KZN in cricket and rugby in grade seven.
His athletic skills earned him a scholarship to Westville Boys’ High, where he excelled in cricket, rugby, and football, representing KZN in all three. After graduating, he continued his football career with Rangers and Durban Stars.
His dedication to young talent led him to coaching, starting with a Sports Learnership at Westville Boys’ High in 2011, which was followed by two years at the Sharks Academy.
He then spent over five years as a development coach at AmaZulu, working closely with schools, including Glenwood.
Mngwengwe told SuperSport Schools Plus about AmaZulu’s partnership with Ohlange High School (founded in 1901) and Glenwood (1910), both of which are recognised for their academic excellence. The partnership has, he said, produced rich fruit.
“Having these partnerships allowed AmaZulu to attract boys from outside Durban. Boys were able to get the best of both worlds – an outstanding education system and the best practice from professional football coaches and advocates,” he explained.
He said those partnerships established a healthy environment, which led to both schools qualifying for the national Kay Motsepe Soccer Schools Championship.
While at AmaZulu, Mngwengwe worked closely with Glenwood, guiding them to qualification for the u14 McDonald’s National Tournament and the u15 Coca-Cola Tournament.
When AmaZulu won the DDC Rewired competition during the 2020/21 season – a unique temporary competition created to replace the 2020/21 DStv Diski Challenge due to the Covid-19 Pandemic – a key component of that team were boys from Glenwood and Ohlange High, which showcased the success of their collaboration.
Mngwengwe said winning the DDC Rewired competition reflected the football culture of the schools and AmaZulu’s legacy in uplifting KZN through the club’s commitment to providing top education and football for the boys.
“The club worked hard to get the right people in to work with these kids, such as Thabiso Makhetha, who coached the squad at Glenwood. Now, he is at FC Nomme in Estonia. Darian Wilken is at Raja Casablanca, and Russel Thompson is now the Youth Technical Director at AmaZulu.
You had a young group of coaches who were hungry and were given a chance by Lunga Sokhela, [a prominent South African football Administrator, best known as the General Manager of AmaZulu],” Mngwengwe said.
He said Sokhela understood that he had to invest in development, and that meant developing coaches as well. “He had a vision, and it worked,” he said.
Some of the players who turned professional included Msindisi Ndlovu (Marumo Gallants) and Siphesihle Maduna (TS Galaxy), both of whom attended Ohlange High, while Glenwood’s pros included Langelihle Phili (Stellenbosch), Onke Ncama (AmaZulu), and Ntokozo Nzama (Richards Bay).
Mngwengwe noted that many boys are in first-division teams and some are enrolled in universities. Uyanda Makhoba, who is pursuing a degree in Actuarial Science at the University of Cape Town, is among those who have benefitted from the programme.
In 2023, Mngwengwe became Glenwood’s first team coach and was also appointed the school’s Director of Soccer. He also served as the Convenor of Selectors on the KZNHSFA Football Committee.
At the 2025 KZNHSFA Annual General Meeting (AGM), he was elected Chairperson of the organisation, which oversees high school football’s strategic development in KZN. It includes leading leagues, the fostering of partnerships, and the support of young players’ academic and athletic growth.
Ahead of the start of the season in April, Mngwengwe said that he will strive to ensure the effective operation of the association (KZNHSFA). “This is important to me,” he stressed.
He said the KZNHSFA would also explore collaborating with professional clubs in the province, adding that it would also seek partnerships with universities.
He noted that girls’ football is gaining momentum in KZN. He said he wishes to raise awareness of the girls’ game and to help it grow. Mngwengwe pointed out that KZNHSFA is not solely an association for boys.
“It won’t be easy. It will take time, but these are goals that are not impossible to reach,” he concluded.
