Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has dropped Percy Tau from the squad yet again with Orlando Pirates defender Thabiso Sesane earning a place in the team for the first time.
Broos unveiled his final squad for this month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo Brazzaville but there was no space for Tau again despite his recent return to club action with Al Ahly.
The Bafana Bafana coach had named Tau in the provisional 32-man squad last week and there was hope that he would make the final squad after missing September’s qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan when Broos said he was not in the right frame of mind.
Does Tau have a future in the national team?
Broos pointed to Tau’s uncertain future at Al Ahly as the reason for dropping him but the forward has since featured for the Egyptian giants in the CAF Champions League against Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, when he scored two goals in the first leg.
Meanwhile, Pirates defender Sesane has been rewarded with a place in the squad following his good form and his inclusion was perhaps necessitated by the injury to Siyabonga Ngezana who will be out for at least one month with a muscle problem.
Veli Mothwa pays the price for his mistakes
However, there was no such luck for his club-mate Tshegofatso Mabasa, who had made the preliminary squad, as Broos stuck with his trusted attackers for the match.
Making a return to the team is goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams, who missed last month’s matches as he recovered from an injury, and his return has seen Veli Mothwa dropped after his high-profile error in the 2-2 draw with Uganda.
South Africa will face Congo in Gqeberha on October 11 before playing away to the same opponents four days later.
