WeeklySA_AdminSYSTEM: Molefi replaces Mkhalele for SA’s CHAN qualifier against Egypt moved to Sunday
By Sports Reporter
The first round African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier between South Africa and Egypt will now be played on Sunday, after the North Africans had difficulties with acquiring their visas.
The North Africans requested the postponement when it became apparent that they would only receive the documents on the day of the match on Friday, February 28 2025, and the request was acceded to. The match will still be played at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein and kick off is now at 17h00 on Sunday afternoon.
The team assembled in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 26 February 2025 and then travelled to the Free State with SAFA Technical Committee Chairman Jack Maluleke and SA U20 coach Raymond Mdaka. Mdaka will assist former Bafana Bafana mentor Molefi Ntseki, who joined the camp this evening and will now assume the reins as coach of the team.
Maluleke explained the reasons behind the coaching change to safa.net. “Remember, in the last NEC meeting, the SAFA technical committee recommended coach Molefi Ntseki after he was interviewed to head the technical development of SAFA, specifically the academies and junior teams as a manager,” he said.
“After we got information that the South African senior national team coach 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.
“Therefore, we as SAFA 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.”
The team has settled into their new accommodations in Bloemfontein, and they had their first training session in the Free State Thursday.They will return to Johannesburg a day after the match where they will remain in camp until departure to Egypt on March 6 2025.
The winner of this match will proceed to the second round of the CHAN qualifiers to be played in May 2025. A surprise inclusion in the Mkhalele announced squad include Monnapule Saleng, who has been strangely missing from the Pirates team in recent weeks, including playing no part on the recent Soweto Derby. The player was last in action for Pirates on December 7 when they hosted Al Ahly, in a Caf Champions League match at Orlando Stadium which ended in a goalless draw.
The 26-year-old has not been reported as injured, and is believed to have not featured for Pirates due to undisclosed personal reasons.
