Former Banyana Banyana defender and captain Simphiwe Dludlu has been tasked with the duties of leading the South African Senior Women’s National Team at this year’s COSAFA Women’s Championships.
“This is a very big opportunity afforded to me by the Association and the best Coach in Africa, Desiree Ellis. I am glad that I will get a platform to learn more while continuing to do the work I have done at U17 and U20 level, where we ensure that we have a big pool of players,” Dludlu told SAFA.net.
With head coach Desiree Ellis away on another assignment during the COSAFA tournament, Dludlu, who is the current coach of the South African U17 Women’s National Team, will be in charge of building a bigger pool of players and grooming the next generation of champions as they will not have the regular squad of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana who won the 2022 edition of the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last month.
“I will be assisting Coach Desiree in expanding the pool of players for Banyana Banyana as they continue preparing for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. I am excited for the players that we have selected, and the fact that these players will get to play against quality players within the COSAFA region,” she added.
“At the moment our region is excelling with two countries going to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. We have two clubs going to represent the region at the CAF Champions League, and this is a right time for us as South Africa to start introducing more players into Banyana Banyana.”
The 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship is set to run from 31 August – 11 September 2022 in Qgeberha.
The hosts have been drawn alongside Angola, Mauritius and Mozambique in Group Ainto Group A, while Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia are together in Group B with Group C pitting reigning champions Tanzania, Comoros, Botswana and Malawi against each other.
Dludlu has put together a good mix of players for the tournament – most of whom have come through development and also under her tutelage in the U17 and U20 squads.
Some of the players included have been in the Banyana Banyana team before, the likes of Nothando Vilakazi (capped 133 times), Busisiwe Ndimeni (36), Tiisetso Makhubela (20), Koketso Tlailane (15) and Oratile Mokwena (11), while others like Lonathemba Mhlongo, Thato Letsoso, Nonhlanhla Mthandi and Lelona Daweti have made less than 10 appearances for the Senior Women’s National Team.
This will perhaps be a good o opportunity to stake their place in the squad, more so with the FIFA Women’s World Cup coming up next year in Australia and New Zealand.
| No. | PLAYER’S NAME | CLUB |
| GOALKEEPERS: | ||
| 1. | Kebotseng MOLETSANE | Bloemfontein Celtic (Free State) |
| 2. | Dineo MAGAGULA | University of Johannesburg FC (Gauteng) |
| 3. | Tshidi MURUOA | TUT FC (Gauteng) |
| DEFENDERS | ||
| 4. | Fikile MAGAMA | UWC FC Cape (Western Cape) |
| 5. | Cimone SAULS | JVW FC (Gauteng) |
| 6. | Koketso TLAILANE | TUT FC (Gauteng) |
| 7. | Nothando VILAKAZI | TUT FC (Gauteng) |
| 8. | Tiisetso MAKHUBELA | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Gauteng) |
| 9. | Lonathemba MHLONGO | UWC FC (Western Cape) |
| 10. | Thato LETSOSO | TUT FC (Gauteng) |
| 11. | Sharol RAMAOKA | TUT FC |
| MIDFIELDERS: | ||
| 12. | Jamie- Leigh WITBOOI | CR Vasco Da Gama Ladies (Western Cape) |
| 13. | Mmabatho MOGALE | TUKS/High Performance Centre (Gauteng) |
| 14. | Sphumelele SHAMASE | University of Johannesburg FC (Gauteng) |
| 15. | Oratile MOKWENA | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Gauteng) |
| 16. | Nonhlanhla MTHANDI | Mamelodi University Ladies (Gauteng) |
| 17. | Sinazo NTSHOTA | City Lads Ladies (Eastern Cape) |
| 18. | Busisiwe NDIMENI | TUT (Gauteng) |
| STRIKERS: | ||
| 19. | Lelona DAWETI | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Gauteng) |
| 20. | Zethembiso VILAKAZI | Lindelani FC (KwaZulu Natal) |
| 21. | Michelle SAMPSON | Richmond United Ladies (Northern Cape) |
| 22. | Amanda MKHIZE | Durban Ladies (KwaZulu Natal) |
| 23. | Lithemba SAM | Cape Town Roses (Western Cape) |
