The door is still open for Bulgaria-based midfielder May Mahlangu in the Bafana Bafana set-up.
Mahlangu hasn’t appeared for Bafana in more than a year now. He is currently plying his trade for Ludogorets Razgrad in Bulgaria where he is a regular starter.
Mahlangu last played for the national team under Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba but then was discarded after declining a Bafana call-up during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Safa president Danny Jordaan has now made it clear that the door is still open for Mahlangu. “He is our player and we never banned him from the national team. If he is doing well, he'll get his chance,” Jordaan said.
Mahlangu has amassed 18 SA caps, and has netted two goals since making his debut back in 2012. He represented Bafana during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Mzansi.
“Every player who has a South African ID has the right to play for his national team as long as he is performing," Jordaan added.
Kamohelo Mokotjo and Thulani Serero also faced the same situation but have since made their return to the senior national team.
Bafana need one point to qualify for the Afcon. They are currently second on the log with nine points after two wins and three draws.
Safa are in the process of trying to organising camps for Bafana but are finding it difficult as they do not have prospective dates. The next playing date is March when they play Libya. The coach prefers to play the qualifier first and then the friendly after that.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) have stripped Cameroon of the rights of hosting the Afcon next year due to their slowness in their preparations for Africa’s biggest showpiece in football.
South Africa and Morocco have emerged as the two favourites to host the tournament. SA have successfully hosted two Afcons, in 1996 and 2013.
Caf are set to announce the new hosts for the Afcon next month. Bafana will be relieved if the Afcon does come here. As things stand Bafana can’t afford to lose to Libya in their last qualifier as they will then miss out on next year’s Afcon.
But if Caf decide to hand Bafana the hosting rights then they will be guaranteed a place in Afcon.