The SA Football Association (Safa) has promised to give Amajita interim coach Helman Mkhalele the job on a full-time basis, should he win the Cosafa Under-20 Championship, hosted by Zambia from December 4-14.

This is according to a source close to Safa's dealings. Having served as an assistant to Thabo Senong, Mkhalele, a retired Bafana Bafana winger, assumed the head coach role in June when the local football governing body opted against renewing Senong's contract.

"Safa has given Mkhalele a mandate to win the Cosafa Cup, and then the job is his permanently. He [Mkhalele] is very determined to deliver, because he loves working with young players," said the source yesterday.

"Remember that the U20 team have been using the Cosafa Cup to prepare for Afcon, which serves as a ticket to the World Cup so, Safa wants the same again. they aim for continuity with Mkhalele because he assisted Senong when they qualified for the last World Cup [in Poland earlier this year]." Attempts to reach Mkhalele and Safa's officials drew a blank.

Amajita are in Group B alongside Lesotho, Madagascar and Mauritius at this year's U20 regional tournament.

Group A is made up of hosts Zambia, Malawi, Comoros Island and Botswana.

Pool C has Angola, Mozambique, Eswatini and the Seychelles.

The South Africans begin their title defence against Mauritius on December 5, before facing Madagascar three days later.

Full squad: 

Goalkeepers: Olwethu Mzimela (AmaZulu), Prince Cuwen
(Wits), Bontle Molefe (Chiefs)

Defenders: Athenkosi Mcaba (Wits), Sabelo Phakathi
(Maritzburg), Cassius Spandiel
(Pirates), Rivaldo Present (Ubuntu), Khotatso Balipile (Grey College), Siyanda Msani (Sundowns)

Midfielders: Tshepo Myeni, Keletso Sifama (both Chiefs), Mohamed Shahabodien (Stars of Africa), Vusumuzi Plamana (Ubuntu), Oswin Appollis (SuperSport), Lancaster Human, Keagan Mitchell (both Wits), Selaelo Rasebotja (School of Excellence)

Strikers: Rahim Milazi (Chiefs), Sinenjongo Mkiva ( Wits), Keenan Bezuidenhout (Ubuntu)