Chiefs’ Dortley, Stellies’ Basadien in Broos’ Bafana squad for Afcon qualifiers

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has named a 23-man squad based on form as he misses some crucial performers for next month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.

Bafana begin their Nations Cup qualifying campaign hosting Uganda at Orlando Stadium on September 6 (6pm) before travelling to South Sudan for the second Group K match on September 10.

Captain and keeper Ronwen Williams is injured and  Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu) or Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates) will be between the posts. 

Star attacker Percy Tau, who has battled injuries, been out of favour and had an uncertain future recently at Al Ahly in Egypt, has not made the squad. Sundowns’ utility player Aubrey Modiba, who was not named in the preliminary squad, was picked among nine defenders. 

Also among the defenders are Fawaaz Basadien, who has attracted attention and suitors with his strong performances for Stellenbosch FC, was kept from the preliminary squad, as was Kaizer Chiefs’ 22-year-old signing from relegated Cape Town Spurs Rushwin Dortley. 

Broos said Dortley impressed him captaining the Bafana developmental side that went out in the group stage of the 2024 Cosafa Cup in Gqeberha in June under the stewardship of his assistant coach Helman Mkhalele. 

Orlando Pirates’ Thalente Mbatha and Stellenbosch FC’s Jayden Adams are interesting call-ups to a midfield including stalwarts Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns) and Sphephelo Sithole (Gil Vicente, Portugal). 

Lyle Foster, who has not scored in three Championship games for Burnley, is in the squad, as is Esperance de Tunis signing Elias Mokwana.

Young prospect Relebogile Mofokeng, who has scored two goals in three games in the MTN8 and Caf Champions League for Orlando Pirates, might fancy a more extended run in the qualifiers than he has seen so far for Bafana.

Broos said part of his reasoning in leaving Tau out, though he is fit for selection, was because he has received a lot of harsh criticism from the South African public for recent national performances and the coach wanted to protect the player.

“Second, the situation at Al Ahly for the moment is not good. There are a lot of rumours he is going to leave, he has a problem with the transfer [and] doesn’t play any more,” the coach said.

“From the beginning of August he has played 17 minutes and all the other games he was not even on the bench. I was a bit afraid, with all that, that Percy for the moment is not ready. We need players who are ready, not only physically but mentally because the first two games of the qualifiers are very important.”

The other team in Group K is Congo. South Africa are ranked 10th in Africa after they finished in third place at the 2023 Nations Cup in Ivory Coast this year. The next Nations Cup in Morocco has been scheduled for December 21 2025 to January 18 2026.

Bafana squad

Goalkeepers: Ricardo Goss (SuperSport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates) 

Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie (SuperSport United), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Rushwin Dortley (Kaizer Chiefs), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Fawaaz Basadien (Stellenbosch FC), Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB, Romania), Grant Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Jayden Adams (Stellenbosch FC), Sphephelo Sithole (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates) 

Strikers: Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City), Patrick Maswanganyi (Orlando Pirates), Iqraam Rayners (Stellenbosch FC), Elias Mokwana (Esperance de Tunis, Tunisia), Lyle Foster (Burnley, England), Relebogile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates)