The new head coach of the Bafana Bafana national team, Pitsso Mosimane, stated that he has strong reasons for including veteran Themba Zwane in the national team's first squad, and also outlined the main criteria of his selection process.
Zwane is among the most experienced players in Mosimane's squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers against Guinea at Orlando Stadium and against Eritrea at Al-Salam Stadium on September 30. Additionally, a friendly match against Egypt is scheduled for October at Cairo International Stadium.
His inclusion drew close attention, given that the 2026 World Cup was expected to be his last tournament before approaching retirement age at 37, as well as the fact that he is not currently a regular starter for Mamelodi Sundowns.
Although Zwane's selection aligns with Mosimane's strategy of maintaining continuity and gradually integrating young players so they can learn from more experienced teammates, the coach did not disclose the details behind Zwane's selection, who remains one of the best talents to emerge in the PSL.
Speaking at Safa House on Thursday, Mosimane responded to the question of whether he considers form, quality, experience, and the absence of injured players. He confirmed that he considers all these aspects.
Mosimane emphasized that decisions are not made arbitrarily: 'I am not selecting Themba Zwane, who is 37 years old, just because I want to select him or because I worked with him at Sundowns. I have my own reasons for selecting Themba Zwane.'
Mosimane supported the idea of keeping Zwane as an integral part of the team in the foreseeable future, stating that Zwane, goalkeeper Sipho Tshabalala, and current captain Ronwen Williams will serve as three key leaders during his time with the team.
Zwane, like other players, will be grateful for the opportunity, given that coaches have consistently shown belief in his abilities throughout his career, and he commits to being ready to support the team whenever called upon.
