Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has revealed the emotional private conversation he had with Themba Zwane prior to excluding the Mamelodi Sundowns star from his final squad to face Kenya in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
On Thursday, the experienced tactician announced his final squad for this month’s back-to-back AFCON qualifiers against Kenya. South Africa will host Benni McCarthy‘s Harambee Stars at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Friday, 13 November, before travelling to Nairobi for the return fixture on 17 November.
However, the main talking point from Mosimane’s selection was the notable omission of Zwane, a decision that surprised fans across the country.
The highly-rated attacker was part of the Bafana setup during the previous FIFA international break, where South Africa recorded AFCON qualifying wins over Guinea and Eritrea, as well as a 1-0 friendly victory against Egypt in Cairo.
Speaking after the squad unveiling at the SABC studios in Auckland Park, the former Al Ahly mentor insisted there is no bad blood, adding that Zwane gave his blessing to give younger players a chance.
WHAT PITSO MOSIMANE SAID ABOUT THE THEMBA ZWANE OMISSION
“It was a difficult one for me [dropping Themba Zwane] because emotionally I’m attached, but this is a national team; it’s not about emotion,” Mosimane said.
“It’s about doing what we think is right. So I spoke to him; I have to respect him. He’s not a player you just drop and move on, and he sees in the media that he’s not part of the squad.
“So we discussed, and if you know Themba Zwane, you should know how difficult it is to make that call because he’s not a player who you just leave out for the sake of it.
“I call him my consultant because on the pitch I talk to him because I don’t know all the players personally. It was the first time I was with them, as Themba was so crucial for me to keep the culture of the team, to give the like of Puso [Dithejane] and all those boys’ culture and the habits.
“And how it is to play for a team and win so many league titles [with Sundowns] and win two [CAF] Champions Leagues but still play consistently. So you have to understand how emotional it was for me to drop Themba Zwane. I have given him the respect, and you know Zwane; he just said, ‘Coach, don’t worry, the country comes first, and I’ve done my work; call me, I’m around. Call me when you need me’.
“But because I’ve worked with the person before and remember we have a relationship; if we don’t have a relationship, it’s not an easy one. So he knows me when times were tough and when times were easy. That’s why as coaches we have to be there all the time, not be there when there’s wrong things or only when there is good things. The player needs to remember that when things were not going well, this is the person who was closer to me.
“So it was a very emotional one, and I’m talking personally, but I don’t have to take my emotions to the national team. I have to be honest, but I also didn’t want Themba Zwane to retire with a red card he got in America [in the 2026 FIFA World Cup], so how would I feel to retire with a red card? No chance, I’m not going to do that to Themba Zwane.”
The 37-year-old has been a central figure for the Bafana team under former coach Hugo Broos, notably helping the side clinch a bronze medal at the 2023 AFCON and qualify for the FIFA World Cup, where South Africa made history by advancing to the knockout stage for the first time.
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