Maude Khumalo, Anna Monate, Janine Van Wyk to lead Banyana team

This is due to the tournament, scheduled to be played in Gqeberha from 22 October to 2 November, running when head coach Desiree Ellis and a different squad will travel to play two friendly internationals against Denmark (25 October) and England (29 October).

The public broadcaster also understands Khumalo, who is the South Africa U20 Women’s National Team coach, will be assisted by current SABC Sport football analysts Anna Monate and Janine van Wyk. 

The trio are all former Banyana players and come with a wealth of experience, with Monate, who donned the national jersey between 1993 and 2001, having previously coached Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, UJ Ladies, TUT Ladies and Coal City Wizards.

Van Wyk, who retired last year after an international playing career spanning 18 years, is a graduate with a UEFA B License and currently assistant coach at her club, JVW. 

The former national team captain holds the record as the most capped footballer on the continent with 185 caps, and has played abroad in the USA, Denmark, and Greece, with  this being her first stint as a coach in a national team set-up.

SABC Sport has also been reliably informed that UJ Ladies coach Nthabeleng "Dunga" Modiko will form part of Desiree Ellis’ technical team in Denmark and England in the absence of assistant coach Thinasonke Mbuli.

READ: Banyana assistant coach to miss England clash

Modiko, armed with a CAF B and Scottish FA C License, is currently the SA U17 Women’s National Team head coach, having previously served as assistant coach to Simphiwe Dludlu when they won silver in the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship.

The two squads are set to be announced on Tuesday, 8 October at the SABC Studios in Auckland Park.

The COSAFA Cup draw will also be held on Tuesday, 8 October at COSAFA House in Johannesburg, with Khumalo, Monate and Van Wyk expected to improve on South Africa's last appearance, which saw them bomb out in the group stages last year.