FORMER Mamelodi Sundowns general manager Kenneth Makhanya has emerged top candidate to land the ZIFA general secretary post.

Following interviews which were conducted on Friday, the Swazi administrator was the most successful candidate after impressing the Human Resources Committee chaired by ZIFA vice president Omega Sibanda.

Makhanya has been shortlisted together with two other candidates namely, former Dynamos treasurer Eric Mvududu and ZIFA Southern Region Division One board member Brighton Malandule.

Phillip Chiyangwa’s board is expected to come up with the final candidate who will replace Jonathan Mashingaidze.

Two other candidates who had been shortlisted – former PSL administrator Cuthbert Mtandwa and French Jerome Dufoura did not turn up for the interviews.

Makhanya, currently the chief executive of South Africa Division One club Black Leopards, was interviewed via skype and is believed to have made the biggest impression especially with his PowerPoint presentation on his turn-around strategy for ZIFA.

He is also said to be a highly qualified candidate.

It is not clear how financial hamstrung ZIFA will afford a package to bring in an expatriate should they decide to appoint him.

All the interviewees have however indicated a prize range of the salary they would be expecting from the mother body should they land the job, with a source close to the selection process saying Makhanya “wasn’t asking for too much with his package quite reasonable”.