Former Mamelodi Sundowns centre-back Wayne Arendse is not worried about the prospect of Themba Zwane missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] due to injury.
The Masandawana captain is back on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Magesi FC last Sunday just as he had returned from another fitness setback.
At 36, Zwane is being haunted by injuries that also saw him miss the better part of last season. That has kept him out of the national team, including the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.
With Bafana Bafana set to participate at December’s AFCON finals in Morocco, Zwane risks being excluded from Hugp Broos’ squad if injuries persist.
Broos’ has other midfield options in the likes of Patrick Maswanganyi, Sipho Mbule, Luke le Roux and Jayden Adams. That gives Arendse comfort, should the Bafana vice-captain fail to recover in time for the continental competition.
ZWANE BLOW WON’T BREAK BAFANA
“If the extent of your injury is beyond your control as a footballer, it will be difficult because you will miss out on Afcon and all that,” Arendse told FARPost.
“It’s a blow to him and to the country as well. I don’t know the extent of his injury but mentally for him it’s probably frustrating to come back and now another injury. It is hard for him but I think he has the mental capacity to deal with these things.
“You would want Mshishi’s experience at Afcon, but if he is not there I think other players can do the job. I’m sure someone else will step up because we have been doing the job thus far, we collected four points out of six in the recent World Cup qualifiers,” added the retired centre-back.
“The coach is doing very well, he has been rotating players, there is always someone coming in. So, there will be someone to take over. It will not be a worry [if Zwane does not make it to Afcon], like I said, there are other players to take over. But if he is fit, it can only be positive.”
BAFANA DOING WELL WITHOUT THEIR KEY MAN
After initially being overlooked by Broos, Zwane returned to the national team and established himself as a vital cog in the team.
BHe last played for Bafana in October 2024 when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in an AFCON qualifier against Congo Brazzaville.
But following his injury, South Africa are unbeaten in eight games across AFCON and World Cup qualifiers, as well as international friendly matches against Tanzania and Mozambique.
That impressive run saw Broos’ men record six wins and two draws in the absence of Zwane.
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