Pitso Mosimane has wasted little time in putting his stamp on Bafana Bafana, naming a 35-man preliminary squad that combines the core of the team that represented South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a number of returning players and fresh faces.
The squad, announced on Friday, September 4, is Mosimane’s first selection since returning to the national team for a third spell, and provides an early indication of how the 62-year-old coach intends to approach his second tenure.
Rather than making sweeping changes, Mosimane has opted for continuity while opening the door for players who have impressed at club level.
South Africa will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Guinea on September 26 before facing Eritrea on September 30. Bafana will then travel to Egypt for a friendly against the Pharaohs on October 4.
Mosimane has made it clear that the two AFCON qualifiers are his immediate priority, while the Egypt friendly is likely to provide an opportunity for fringe players and newcomers to stake their claim.
Mosimane does not intend to sweep away Broos’ team
One of the clearest messages from Mosimane’s unveiling was that he does not intend to dismantle the foundation left by former coach Hugo Broos.
The new coach said he was not arriving with a “biggest broom to sweep”, acknowledging the work done by Broos and the strong foundation created during his five-year tenure.
That approach is reflected in the squad, which retains established players such as Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Lyle Foster, Iqraam Rayners, Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane and others.
Mosimane’s immediate challenge, however, is that several important members of the World Cup squad are unavailable through injury.
Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa are among those who have been ruled out, while Mokoena’s fitness has also been a concern.
New faces given an opportunity
The 35-man squad also contains several players who will be eager to convince Mosimane that they belong at international level.
Among the notable inclusions are Yanela Mbuthuma, Cemran Dansin, Mpho Padime, Tshepo Mashiloane, Puso Dithejane, Lebone Seema and Ronaldo Van Neel, while Tashreeq Matthews and Lebohang Maboe have also been brought into the wider group.
The selection of young players also appears to fit into Mosimane’s broader plan of creating a pathway between the junior national teams and Bafana.
The coach has indicated that he is monitoring emerging South African talent playing abroad and wants to give opportunities to players who are performing well at club level.
Morena’s return could solve the Mudau problem
One of the most interesting selections is Thapelo Morena, who returns after missing out on the World Cup squad.
With Khuliso Mudau injured, Morena could be the natural option to provide experience at right-back.
His pace, versatility and familiarity with the national-team environment make him one of the players who could benefit most from the current injury situation.
However, his inclusion in the 35-man squad does not automatically guarantee a starting position. Mosimane will still have to assess him during camp before deciding who makes the final cut.
Who could be cut?
The biggest question now is which players will survive when Mosimane reduces the preliminary squad for the actual qualifiers.
The three goalkeepers — Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss — appear relatively safe because Mosimane is unlikely to make significant changes in this department.
The greatest competition is likely to be in defence and attack, where the coach has a large number of players competing for limited places.
Among the players most vulnerable to being left out of the final squad could be some of the younger or less experienced members of the 35-man group, particularly if Mosimane decides to prioritise players he believes can immediately handle the pressure of the Guinea and Eritrea matches.
Players such as Cemran Dansin, Tshepo Mashiloane, Khulumani Ndamane, Kamogelo Sebelebele and Ronaldo Van Neel could therefore face a difficult battle to make the final selection.
However, this is only an assessment at this stage. Their inclusion in the preliminary squad means Mosimane clearly wants to look at them, and strong performances in training could change the picture.
The Egypt friendly could save some players
The October 4 meeting with Egypt is particularly important for players on the fringes.
Mosimane has already explained that his priority is to use the qualifiers to secure AFCON qualification, while the friendly will give him an opportunity to look at players who have not previously received sufficient opportunities.
That means not every player who survives the first cut will necessarily play against Guinea or Eritrea.
Some could be retained specifically to be assessed against Egypt.
This could be especially valuable for the younger players and those returning to the national-team setup, including Cassius Mailula, Luther Singh, Shandre Campbell and Puso Dithejane.
Mosimane’s expectations are bigger than AFCON
Although AFCON qualification is the immediate objective, Mosimane has made it clear that his ambitions go beyond the continental tournament.
His long-term target is to ensure that Bafana remain regular participants at major international tournaments and eventually return to the World Cup.
He also wants to build on the work done by Broos rather than starting from scratch.
“We have a good foundation,” is essentially the message coming from Mosimane’s first days back in charge.
That means the new coach is unlikely to judge players simply on reputation. Club form, fitness, tactical discipline and their ability to fit into his system are likely to determine who remains in the squad.
A difficult balancing act
Mosimane therefore faces a delicate balancing act.
He has inherited a team that reached the 2026 World Cup but has also lost several important players through injury. At the same time, there is a new generation demanding opportunities.
The 35-man squad gives him room to experiment, but the final squad for Guinea and Eritrea will be much smaller.
The likely approach is for Mosimane to retain the experienced core for the two qualifiers while using the Egypt friendly to assess some of the players who are still fighting for permanent places.
For the newcomers, the message is simple: the door has been opened, but they still have to walk through it.
For established players, meanwhile, there is no guarantee that a place under Broos automatically means a place under Mosimane.
The first squad of the new Mosimane era is therefore less about revolution and more about competition — continuity at the top, fresh blood underneath and a coach who now has to decide which players can help him deliver his first major objective: getting Bafana Bafana to AFCON 2027.
And with Guinea waiting on September 26, those decisions cannot be delayed for long.