Pitso Mosimane has been sacked as Bafana Bafana head coach, the SA Football Association (Safa) confirmed on Tuesday morning.
Assistant coach Steve Komphela would take charge of South Africa's next two matches.
"Drawing in the last 15 minutes of the game [against Ethiopia] made us realise we had to act now," Safa said in a statement.
Bafana drew 1-1 against their east African counterparts in their opening match of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Phokeng, outside Rustenburg, on Sunday.
They face Botswana in another crucial qualifying fixture in Gaborone on Saturday, and they play Gabon in an international
friendly in Johannesburg later this month.
Moroka Swallows coach Gordon Igesund has been tipped to take over from the embattled Mosimane on a permanent basis after South Africa failed to win any of their last seven matches.
Safa said Komphela would address the media at the squad's training camp in Phokeng later on Tuesday morning.
