EXCITING midfielder Jabulani Shongwe has predicted that Amabinneplaas will make South Africa proud in Sudan next month by winning a medal.

The South African "development" side are in camp in Nelspruit for the second African Nations Championships in Khartoum from February 4 to 25.

Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Niger, Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Sudan will take part.

South Africa are in Group B with Ghana, who won a silver medal in the inaugural tournament in Ivory Coast two years ago, Zimbabwe and Niger.

Ghana, who were defeated 2-0 by the DRC in the 2009 final, start their campaign against South Africa on February 5.

Shongwe, who scored a spectacular goal in their 1-0 win over Jomo Cosmos in a friendly on Sunday, said they were ready for the tournament.

"We want to make history by being the first South African team to take part in this tournament and win a medal. We are targeting gold.

"The first game against Ghana will be crucial for us to win to ease the pressure in the camp, but it won't be easy because some of their players who won the World Youth Championships in Egypt in 2009 are in their team.

"Our preparations are going very well, we are looking forward to a great tournament," said Shongwe who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns.

Sundowns signed him in August last year after impressing them while still at Vodacom League side ALS Puk Tawana. He is one of the three big-name players in the Amabinneplaas team. The others are goalkeeper Jacob Mokhasi and Myron Shongwe.