"This is another Bafana Bafana team and I’m happy, I’m excited," said Khumalo.
Vela Khumalo will lead Bafana Bafana in the COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein next month. Photo: Nabil Ramdani/BackpagePix
The South African Football Association (SAFA) have confirmed Vela Khumalo will lead Bafana Bafana in the 2025 Cosafa Cup.
The regional tournament will be held in Bloemfontein from 4-15 June 2025.
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Khumalo, who is also the South African U17 men’s national team coach, will be assisted by Reneilwe Letsholonyane while Molefi Ntseki will serve as technical advisor.
Khumalo said he was excited with the challenge of leading Bafana in Bloemfontein.
“We are looking forward to this tournament and we’re playing at home, we’re playing in Bloemfontein, and we cannot compromise the team. This is another Bafana Bafana team and I’m happy, I’m excited. We want to go through, and we want to win COSAFA (Cup),” Khumalo told SAFA media.
“I remember the last time we won it with coach Morena Ramoreboli when we were co-coaches, now it’s me alone. I think this is the right time for us to express ourselves and show how we as South Africans are on the winning streak, and we are happy and in a good space,” added the Kaizer Chiefs Diski Challenge side coach.
SAFA technical committee chairman Jack Maluleke said Khumalo and U20 Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach Raymond Mdaka were to lead the COSAFA team, but the draw and workshop for the U20 FIFA World Cup this week put paid to that plan.
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“Unfortunately, coach Raymond is not around because he is attending the FIFA draw and workshop for the Under-20 national teams in Chile. So, we felt that we must give him a break because he was in Egypt at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (SA won the tournament and are the African champions) only a few days ago and after that he went to Chile to the workshop,” explained Maluleke.
Meanwhile, Khumalo has announced his squad for the COSAFA Cup. Khumalo included Chiefs players in the squad. The five players are goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, defender Aden McCarthy, midfielders Thabo Cele and Mduduzi Shabalala and striker Wandile Duba.
The full Bafana Cosafa squad:
