Rhulani Mokwena explains why he rejected Richards Bay opportunity a few days after revealing Orlando Pirates interest - 'It didn’t sit well with me'

Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena has revealed why his move to Richards Bay did not see the light of day despite advanced talks in 2024.

The Natal Rich Boyz were close to offering Mokwena a chance to return to the Premier Soccer League after the tactician had left Masandawana.

“It didn’t sit well with me,” Mokwena told Marawa Sports Worldwide.

"I think I made the right decision. I will tell you why: I had the conversation with someone that I did not know, but I grew fond of him because I spent time with him."

"I was very disappointed that after I was given an article where Jomo Biyela said that they did not speak to me. I was really perplexed because "Why would he say that?" Mokwena asked.

"We were so far in the conversation that I spent a weekend in Richards Bay, and I took pictures of the training facilities that were proposed because I was compiling a report.

"I got footage of that, but I thought, why would he say that?" But it also said to me that, yes, you have done well not to work with this type of people because it would be very difficult to work with someone who can openly lie about that type of situation," he continued.

"Speaking to me was not a crime. I have got pictures; I have got the whole report that I made about the squad, about the recommendation that I had emailed."

"I invested a lot of time into it. I did a whole report on the squad, the way the team is, and how things stand, and my heart was in it. They had sold me the vision, and I know I might have disappointed him at the last minute, and I apologise for that."

This was seen as a chance for the PSL-winning tactician to remain in the South African league, but he turned down the offer from Richards Bay.

The KwaZulu-Natal outfit was a very ambitious club then, having secured new R100 million sponsorship from Phakwe Gas, and their ambition led them to Mokwena, whom they felt was the right tactician to guide them.

Their ambition to be a competitive club came after they survived relegation through play-offs, and the man, so they believed, to turn their fortunes was Mokwena, who had proved his winning credentials at Masandawana.

However, despite advanced talks and even Mokwena attending the club's training sessions, the deal did not go through eventually.

Richards Bay's owner and chairman, Sifiso 'Jomo' Biyela, even dismissed that he had talks with the tactician as things took an ugly turn. Now, Mokwena has come out to say, "This did not sit well with me."

Mokwena then left South Africa for Wydad Casablanca before he parted ways with the Moroccan giants at the end of last season.

His admission on what transpired at Richards Bay comes days after he revealed his desire to return to Orlando Pirates.

The Sea Robbers are expected to appoint a new coach after Jose Riveiro left, and this leaves room for speculation over Mokwena's possible return even more plausible.