In a bid to resolve a contractual dispute, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos recently intervened in the ongoing issues between defender Khuliso Mudau and his club, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mudau, considered by Broos to be the best right-back in South Africa, had been absent from training for over a month in a show of discontent with the club.
Read: Mamelodi Sundowns Grapple with Squad Instability Amid High-Profile Player Exits
Sundowns had reportedly turned down offers for the talented player, exercising an option in June to extend his contract for another season.
The dispute led to Mudau missing the first seven games of the season and, consequently, being left off the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Broos’s Intervention
In an attempt to mend the relationship between the club and the player, Broos sought and received permission from the Sundowns coach to meet with Mudau. During their conversation, Broos was direct and clear about the player’s actions.
“I got the agreement of the coach of Sundowns that I could have a meeting with Khuliso, so I had a meeting with Khuliso, and I told him that he was right in some things, but he was not right in other things, like for example, not going to training,” Broos said.
“You don’t solve a problem with not going to training, even if there is a disagreement between you and the club—this is an obligation of the player.”
The Bafana coach emphasized that while a player can refuse to play, they are still obligated to train. Broos believes his conversation with Mudau helped get the player back on the field.
Moving Forward
Broos is hopeful that the issue will be resolved soon, as the absence of Mudau is a significant blow to the national team.
“It’s difficult for me that I can’t have him in my team,” he said. Broos explained that he sees it as his duty as the Bafana Bafana coach to help resolve such issues when a top player is involved.
With Mudau absent from the squad for the qualifiers, Broos will rely on Nyiko Mobbie and Zuko Mdunyelwa to fill the right-back position.
Bafana Bafana are top of Group C in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers with 13 points after six matches and they are followed by second-placed Rwanda and Benin, who are both on eight points.
The Nigerians are fourth with seven points followed by Lesotho (six points) and Zimbabwe (four points). Indeed, only the top team in the group will qualify directly for the 2026 global tournament that will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Bafana Bafana kick off their campaign against Lesotho on 5 September 2025, with the Free State Stadium serving as Lesotho’s adopted home turf. Kick off is scheduled for 18h00.
Next up, South Africa welcomes their fierce rivals Nigeria for a high-stakes showdown. Kick off at the Free State Stadium is set for 18h00 on Tuesday, 09 September 2025.