By Tapiwa Chawagarira
Zimbabwean coach Kaitano Tembo has taken on a new role in South African football, having been appointed head coach of the struggling Motsepe Foundation Championship side Venda FC.
The experienced 56-year-old tactician takes charge of the Limpopo-based club following the departure of Clinton Larsen, who left the team after a difficult start to the 2026/27 campaign.
Tembo has reportedly agreed to a two-year contract with an option for extension. He will be joined by former Marumo Gallants assistant coach Fani Mthethwa as part of his technical team.
His immediate task will be to revive Venda’s campaign after the club collected just one point from its first five league matches. The team has suffered four defeats during that run, leaving it at the bottom of the second-tier standings.
Larsen’s exit came after Venda endured a poor start, despite retaining him following a ninth-place finish last season. The club also strengthened its squad during the off-season by bringing in several new players, but the results have not matched expectations.
For Tembo, the move marks a return to South African club football, where he has previously worked with SuperSport United, Sekhukhune United, and Richards Bay.
This appointment comes after a busy period in Zimbabwean football for the former Warriors midfielder. Tembo recently served as interim coach of the senior national team following Mario Marinica’s departure before taking charge of the Zimbabwe Under-20 side. He was also in contention for the permanent Warriors job, which eventually went to Spanish coach Jose Ramon Catala Peiro.
Tembo will now turn his attention to Venda, with the international break providing an opportunity to work with his new squad before league football resumes in October.
The Zimbabwean’s first major challenge will be to improve the team’s fortunes and lift Venda from the bottom of the Motsepe Foundation Championship standings, as the club seeks a new direction under his leadership.
