By Marcus Moloko
Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile visited the Bafana Bafana camp this week to offer words of encouragement to the national team ahead of their important 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group D qualifier against Guinea on Saturday.
The match, which will be played at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, will mark the beginning of Pitso Mosimane’s new tenure as Bafana Bafana head coach following his recent reappointment to the national team’s top job.
Addressing players and technical staff, Maile encouraged the squad to remain focused and united as they prepare for a fixture that could prove decisive in their AFCON qualification campaign. In his role overseeing both education and sport in Gauteng, Maile also highlighted the importance of developing future talent through initiatives such as the province’s Schools of Specialisation programme, which nurtures young athletes, including aspiring footballers.
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Saturday’s encounter is expected to be one of the toughest tests facing Bafana Bafana in Group D, with Guinea widely viewed as South Africa’s main rivals for qualification. The group’s dynamics have been complicated by the inclusion of co-hosts Kenya, potentially turning qualification into a direct contest between Bafana and the West African side.
Mosimane has already identified Guinea’s attacking threat as a key area of concern, particularly Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, who has enjoyed strong form this season.
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The Bafana coach also pointed to Guinea’s impressive international pedigree, noting that the squad is made up entirely of overseas-based players competing in leagues across Europe and the Middle East.
Among them are defenders and midfielders playing in Saudi Arabia, striker Lamine Diaby Fadiga in Poland and midfielder Lass Kourouma at Spanish club Girona.
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The clash is expected to provide an early indication of whether Mosimane’s return can inspire South Africa’s AFCON qualification ambitions, with a positive result likely to strengthen Bafana’s position in what is shaping up to be a closely contested group.
