Stuart Baxter will not been on the bench when Bafana Bafana take on Zambia in next month's Chan 2018 qualifier against Zambia.
Safa president Dr Danny Jordaan confirmed that Senong, who has been acting as Baxter assistant, will lead the side in the two-legged tie as it conflicts with the start of the PSL season.
This means the technical team will have to beg for PSL teams to release their players.
Jordaan said they will consider selecting the SA U20 team against Chipolopolo.
“We will probably look again at the under-20 side to provide the backbone of this selection and that is why it is better that Thabo takes charge,” Jordaan explained to The Sowetan.
Bafana will host Zambia in the first-leg on August 12, with the venue yet confirmed, while the return-leg will take place a week later in Zambia.
South Africa booked their place in the third round of the qualifiers following a 3-0 aggregate win over Botswana, while Chipolopolo hammered Swaziland 7-0 on aggregate to set up the meeting.
Baxter will meanwhile devote all his energies on the back-to-back 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde.
The first-leg takes place on September 1 in Praia, with the return leg scheduled for September 5 in Durban.
