REVEALED: Why was Seema put on special leave at Sekhukhune

Sekhukhune United have placed coach Lehlohonolo Seema on a special leave, a source close to the DStv Premiership club has confirmed.

Reports on Tuesday emerged suggesting Seema had been suspended for allegedly expressing his dissatisfaction over the terms of his new contract.

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Seema, who joined Babina Noko last November, will see his current deal with the club expire at the end of the current season and the parties have since opened talks over a new deal.

Now a source close to the club has confirmed to Phakaaathi that Seema was indeed put on special leave, adding that the former Polokwane City coach wanted to include a certain clause in his contract that would have seen him pocket a lot of money should Babina Noko finish in the top four in the 2024/25 season.

“Seema was told when he joined the club in November last year that a new contract would only be discussed at the end of the season. But because the club is currently doing well, he wanted to capitalise on the situation and demanded a meeting with the management. He was granted that meeting this week because the club had no midweek games,” said the source.

Seema has done well since joining Babina Noko from Polokwane City in November last year and under his mentorship Sekhukhune are guaranteed a place in next season’s MTN8. They are fourth on the log with 42 points after 28 games.

“Seema wanted a guarantee in his new contract that should the club finish in the top four next season, he should get at least R3-million, but when he was asked to wait until the end of the season to discuss his terms, he threw a tantrum and walked out of the meeting. That’s when a decision to put him on special leave was made,” added the source.

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Senior coach MacDonald Makhubedu and assistant coach Paulus Masehe are expected to take charge of the team for the remaining games against AmaZulu and Chippa United.

Attempts to get a comment from Seema and club spokesperson Tebogo Mapinga proved fruitless as their phones rang unanswered and we also did not get a reply from a Whatsapp message that was sent to Mapinga.