Hugo Broos has a big decision to make on who will lead South Africa in September’s two matches
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos hinted at who might be his captain in the absence of Ronwen Williams who was not selected to the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Williams will not be involved in September’s AFCON qualifiers at home to Uganda and away to South Sudan as he still recovers from an injury and his absence has opened the door for another goalkeeper while the captaincy is up for grabs.
Speaking after unveiling his final squad on Thursday, Broos hinted that the armband could go to the player with the most caps.
Who will captain South Africa in September?
“There are a few vice captains, there is Veli [Mothwa], there is Percy [Tau], I will see. I will discuss that with my good friend Helmen Mkhalele and I will see who will be the captain,” Broos said on SABC.
“Normally, they take the one with the most [caps] for Bafana Bafana,” he added.
That last statement could point to who is likely to inherit the armband in the absence of captain Williams and his deputy Percy Tau, who was also dropped from the final squad.
Veli Mothwa
AmaZulu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa is one of the Bafana Bafana vice captains and could be a shoo-in for the armband if he is given the opportunity to play.
Mothwa is also one of South Africa’s second-choice goalkeepers although he has had to watch from the bench most of the time.
He has 10 caps for Bafana Bafana and captained South Africa as they won the 2021 COSAFA Cup, getting selected as the best goalkeeper after keeping five clean sheets.
His last match for Bafana Bafana was in October 2023 when he played all 90 minutes in a friendly that ended goalless against eSwatini.
What works against him is that he might not start, with SuperSport United’s Ricardo Goss and Orlando Pirates’ Sipho Chaine seen by many as the most preferred.
Themba Zwane
Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane looks like the man who will take over the captaincy in the absence of his club-mate Williams.
Zwane ticks many boxes, starting with the fact that he is the most experienced in the squad, has the most caps, 46, and is also one of Broos’ trusted lieutenants.
The 12-goal midfielder had fallen out of favour with Broos when the Belgian arrived in South Africa but since being recalled in September 2022, he has kept the fire burning and it will not be a surprise if he is picked to lead the team in the two matches against Uganda and South Sudan.
Teboho Mokoena
Another of the ever-present men in Broos’ line-up is Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena who has 36 caps and six goals for Bafana Bafana.
Mokoena is one of the most reliable midfielders and has endeared himself to fans due to his work rate and intelligence in central midfield.
Rarely ruffles feathers and a likeable character, those are qualities that make him a candidate for the captaincy for Broos and his assistant.
Grant Kekana
A third Mamelodi Sundowns player on the list that is capable of taking over the armband is defender Grant Kenana.
Crowned the PSL Defender of the Year in 2023-24, the player is not just experienced but also disciplined, which might work in his favour as far as the captaincy is concerned.
He, however, does not have a lot of experience at international level which might work against him since he has managed 14 appearances since his debut in June 2022.
Lyles Foster
A rank outsider, the Burnley forward is not among the most experienced as he has just won 12 caps, scoring four goals.
However, his passionate dressing room talk to his Burnley team-mates during their relegation struggles last season, suggests he has leadership qualities in him even if this might come be too soon.
Foster also just returned to the team in June after missing the AFCON and managed 19 minutes against Nigeria while he was on the bench for the win against Zimbabwe.
The fact that he is not guaranteed a starting place kind of rules him out of the running.