Former Kaizer Chiefs coach returns to Bafana Bafana to lead national team after Hugo Broos' request

The South African Football Association has confirmed changes to the coaching staff ahead of the crucial Chan qualifier against Egypt. Molefi Ntseki will replace Helman Mkhalele, who is focusing on the upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifiers. Ntseki, recently dismissed by Marumo Gallants, was chosen due to his familiarity with SAFA’s system and his availability on short notice.

Officials believe his experience will be valuable as South Africa looks to secure a spot in the African National Championships tournament, which will be co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

Meanwhile, the first round of the qualifier between South Africa and Egypt has been rescheduled to Sunday, 2 March 2025, after the North Africans faced visa-related delays. SA U20 coach Raymond Mdaka will assist former Bafana Bafana mentor Molefi Ntseki in preparing the team for this important clash.

“After we got information that the South African senior national team coach (Hugo Broos) requested that Helman Mkhalele must be recused from this team because we have the priority of Bafana Bafana playing 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin in a few weeks’ time, we agreed, " said Maluleke.

“Therefore, we as Sifa realized that after the NEC endorsed the name of Molefi Ntseki, we had to check who can replace Mkhalele at this point in time. We thought of him (Ntseki) because he’s the most senior and we requested him to be deployed there on a temporary basis to step in for Helman and he will be assisted by the head coach of the SA U20s (Mdaka).

“Coach Ntseki is there because he’s in the system and we requested him to assist because we needed somebody who can step in because this is an urgent matter.”

With South Africa's senior national team facing a packed March schedule, squad depth has become crucial. The Chan qualifier squad raised concerns as many selected players lack regular game time.

Since the match falls outside the Fifa calendar, PSL and NFD clubs were reluctant to release key players. Teams fighting relegation and promotion prioritized their league commitments.

Meanwhile, the World Cup qualifiers demand full attention, adding pressure to squad management. A positive development is the inclusion of Chippa United's Aphelele Teto in the team to face Egypt.

Bafana Bafana currently sit second in Group C with seven points from four matches. Group leaders Rwanda hold the top spot, making the next fixtures crucial for South Africa.

They will host Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium in a must-win encounter. Following that, they travel to Benin, aiming for maximum points to take control of their World Cup qualification hopes.

The ultimate goal is to secure a place at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America. The tournament is set to run from July 11 to July 19, 2026.