| April Phumo | |
| Birth Date: | 1 April 1937 |
| Birth Place: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Death Date: | 27 November 2011 (aged 74) |
| Death Place: | Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| Nationalteam1: | South Africa |
| Manageryears1: | 1979–1995 |
| Managerclubs1: | Lesotho |
| Managerclubs2: | Arsenal |
| Managerclubs3: | Bloemfontein Celtic |
| Manageryears4: | 2001–2002 |
| Managerclubs4: | Ria Stars |
| Managerclubs5: | South Africa U20 |
| Managerclubs6: | South Africa U23 |
| Managerclubs7: | South Africa women |
| Manageryears8: | 2004 |
| Managerclubs8: | South Africa |
| Managerclubs9: | Nathi Lions |
| Manageryears10: | 2009 |
| Managerclubs10: | United FC |
| Manageryears11: | 2011 |
| Managerclubs11: | Atlie |
April Phumo (1 April 1937 – 27 November 2011) was a South African football player and coach. He was nicknamed "Styles".
April Phumo was born in Johannesburg on 1 April 1937.[1] [2]
He was a squad member of the South African national team prior to the 1966 FIFA World Cup; the team was banned from competing due to apartheid.[3]
Phumo managed Arsenal (Maseru) of Lesotho, leading them to "several league titles and an unexpected place in the last 16 of the African Champions Cup in 1990."[3] He later managed South African club sides Ria Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic, Nathi Lions and Atlie.[4] [5] [6]
Phumo spent a brief spell as manager of United FC during 2009, helping the club gain promotion to South Africa's National First Division.[7]
Phumo was the first ever manager of the Lesotho national team.[8] Phumo began coaching Lesotho in 1979 and received a FIFA coaching diploma in 1981.[9] [10]
Phumo was involved with the South African men's senior team for a number of years. He was assistant to Trott Moloto and the 2000 African Cup of Nations,[11] before a spell with Ria Stars.
In July 2002, Phumo returned as national team assistant to Ephraim Mashaba.[12] When Mashaba was sacked in January 2004, Phumo became temporary manager, taking control of the national team at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.[13] Phumo also managed the South African men's under-20, men's under-23 and women's senior national teams.[8]
Phumo died of cancer on 27 November 2011, aged 74, at a hospital in Bloemfontein.[5]