Pitso Mosimane Bafana Bafana Move Stalls Before AFCON Qualifiers

Pitso Mosimane’s return to Bafana Bafana remains uncertain after contract negotiations with the South African Football Association reached an impasse, with the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers approaching.

South Africa are due to host Guinea between September 23 and 25 before travelling to face Eritrea from September 27 to 29. The fixtures will open the qualification campaign for the tournament, which will be staged jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

SAFA’s national executive committee approved Mosimane as Hugo Broos’ successor on August 8, but the terms of his appointment have not been completed. Broos left the position after the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June, creating the vacancy Mosimane was expected to fill.

The main disagreement concerns Mosimane’s preferred technical staff. He wants fitness trainer Kabelo Rangoaga and analyst Musi Matlaba to work with him full-time. A possible middle ground would place them in assistant-coach roles, while SAFA wants to retain control over other appointments.

The staffing dispute also affects the existing technical setup. Grant Johnson, the goalkeeper coach during Broos’ tenure, has made allegations of unprofessional conduct against SAFA. The future of Tinashe Mukandatsama, a Sundowns analyst who has worked with the national team part-time, is also unclear if Matlaba joins the staff.

SAFA had hoped to confirm the new coach last week so that squad selection could begin on schedule. A preliminary squad is normally announced about a month before matches, allowing the coach to assess players. If the agreement with Mosimane fails, Broos and technical director Molefi Ntseki are being considered as interim alternatives.

The incoming coach will also have selection problems to manage. Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Khuliso Mudau, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa are unavailable because of injuries, while the participation of Teboho Mokoena and Lyle Foster is still uncertain.