SAFA say they will decide on a new head coach at an NEC meeting on August 8.
Could Pitso Mosimane be the next Bafana Bafana head coach? Picture: Phakamisa Lensman/Backpagepix
South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan announced on Friday that the next Bafana Bafana head coach will be decided at a South African Football Association (SAFA) National Executive Committee meeting on August 8.
Phakaaathi takes a look at four coaches who could be considered to follow in the footsteps of Hugo Broos.
Pitso Mosimane
Pitso Mosimane has to be the favourite right now to return to the Bafana hot seat for a second spell in charge. ‘Jingles’ has already said he feels that he has unfinished business after his first stint at the helm.
Mosimane was assistant coach to Carlos Alberto Parreira at the 2010 Fifa World Cup finals, and took over as head coach once the Brazilian left immediately after that tournament.
Under Mosimane, Bafana famously celebrated in Nelspruit even though they had not qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals. After an uninspiring start to qualification for the 2014 Fifa World Cup finals, Mosimane was shown the exit door.
He bounced back in style in club football, winning the Caf Champions League in 2016 with Mamelodi Sundowns and going on to win two more Champions League titles with Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
He went on to coach at several sides in the Middle East, but Mosimane is now a free agent, and has admitted to speaking to SAFA about taking over from Broos. His salary demands could yet be a stumbling block, but surely ‘Jingles’ is at the front of the queue for now.
Helman Mkhalele
Hugo Broos refused to comment on a successor on Friday, but he has previously advocated for continuity in appointing his assistant coach Helman Mkhalele.
Broos spoke again on Friday about his huge respect for Mkhalele and how much the ‘Midnight Express’ helped him to understand South African football during his five years at the helm.
Mkhalele appeared to indicate his interest in a step up when he enrolled towards the end of last year to do a CAF A License course in Lesotho. But it could be that SAFA feel his lack of experience as a head coach is a hindrance.
Herve Renard
If you want a coach with plenty of pedigree on the African continent as well as a penchant for finely pressed white shirts, then look no further than Frenchman Herve Renard.
Renard won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia out of absolutely nowhere in 2012, and then repeated the trick with Ivory Coast in 2015, becoming the first coach to win the AFCON with two different countries.
He has also coached Morocco, Saudi Arabia and most recently took charge of Tunisia at the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals. Renard jumped in after Tunisia had lost their opening match 5-1 to Sweden. Given a difficult task, he didn’t do much better, losing 4-0 to Japan and 3-1 to the Netherlands.
Ultimately Tunisia and Renard opted to go their separate ways, meaning the 57-year-old is a free agent. Will SAFA turn to Renard to continue Broos’ work?
Rulani Mokwena
Rulani Mokwena is one of the brightest young South African coaches in football, but has just signed a deal with Egyptian giants Pyramids, making it highly unlikely he would suddenly jump ship and coach Bafana.
It would also surely cost SAFA plenty of cash, in terms of salary for Mokwena, but also to appease Pyramids, to get their man. So cast this final call as highly unlikely, though it is probably worth a wager that Mokwena will coach Bafana at some point in his career.
At only 39, he may want to continue his globetrotting for a while yet, before returning home.
