The Labour Court has dismissed former Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba’s application to block the South African Football Association (Safa) from appointing another coach.

Mashaba was fired as national team coach in December after a disciplinary committee found him guilty of gross misconduct‚ insubordination and violating Safa's communications policy. This followed the then coach's public outburst in November in Polokwane‚ where he had a go at Safa bosses and the media following his side's 2-1 victory over Senegal in the second match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds.

Mashaba wanted the Labour Court to prevent Safa from hiring a new head coach until the finalisation of his dismissal challenge at the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

On Tuesday‚ however‚ Judge Robert La Grange dismissed his application‚ without reading the reasons.

Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi said the association welcomes the judgment.

“We have always maintained that we did everything by the book when he was found guilty on three charges by the internal DC [disciplinary hearing] of SAFA.

“That process was transparent‚ independent and fair on both sides. In fact‚ Mashaba was represented by his lawyers and before the process got under way‚ had requested two postponements because they wanted certain documents from the Association‚ which we provided‚” Chimhavi said.

He said Mashaba was given an opportunity to present his case and an independent High Court judge and advocate who presided over the matter passed an “independent verdict”.