Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos clarified the absence of Orlando Pirates winger Monnapule Saleng from the squad, which will be reporting for camp on Monday.
South Africa are preparing for two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan in the next eight days.
Broos initially announced a 38-man preliminary squad but later trimmed it down to a final 23.
While the omission of Percy Tau and Ronwen Williams was due to injury, Saleng’s absence came as a surprise, given his consistent presence in the Buccaneers’ line-up this season, where he featured in all five matches across competitions.
Broos expressed concerns over Saleng’s form, pointing to his inconsistent performances last season.
“Saleng had a very irregular season last year. He promised a lot the year before, but now, he disappointed a little bit.
“I just want to see Saleng going back to his old shape two years ago when he scored goals and was assisting for Pirates,” Broos explained.
The coach remains hopeful, saying, “Let’s hope it will be the same Saleng that we know and we need.”
South Africa will host Uganda on Friday before heading to Northeast Africa to face South Sudan next Tuesday.