Hugo Broos Names Themba Zwane’s Successor Following Patrick Maswanganyi's Experiment

• Hugo Broos looked to have found a perfect replacement for Themba Zwane in the Bafana Bafana squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations
• The Belgian tactician recently tried Orlando Pirates star Patrick Maswanganyi in Zwane's role, but he has chosen another successor for the Mamelodi Sundowns captain
• Zwane is still out of action for both club and country due to the recent injury he sustained while playing for the Brazilians

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos appears to have found a long-term replacement for veteran midfielder Themba Zwane, following his recent tactical experiment with Orlando Pirates playmaker Patrick Maswanganyi.

With Zwane nearing the twilight of his international career and struggling with recurring injuries since last season, both Mamelodi Sundowns boss Miguel Cardoso and Broos have been evaluating potential successors for the 36-year-old’s pivotal creative role, which the veteran occupies on both teams.

Zwane, currently sidelined by injury, was spotted at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, watching from the stands as South Africa sealed their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda. The midfielder is now focusing on regaining fitness ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and next year’s World Cup in North America.

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Although Broos tested Maswanganyi in Zwane’s position, the Pirates star has yet to fully impress and was omitted from the most recent national team squad. Despite that, Broos insists he has finally identified the midfielder who embodies the qualities he needs to drive Bafana Bafana’s attacking play going forward.

Broos names Zwane's potential successor

Broos stated that he was immediately impressed with Sipho Mbule’s talent when Mbule first joined the Bafana Bafana setup, but the midfielder’s off-field distractions led to his exclusion from the squad.

“Sipho was with us from the first day I was here, and immediately I saw what a good player he was,” Broos explained.

“But he had interests other than football, and after a few times, I didn’t call him anymore.”

Broos acknowledged that Mbule had enjoyed a remarkable career, having played for Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, and other top clubs, but said inconsistency and discipline issues had hindered his progress.

“When we were looking for a replacement for Themba Zwane, we discussed several players. We tried Patrick, and then we talked about Sipho. I said, you can see how Sipho is playing, he had a good moment at Sekhukhune United last season, but again, there were discipline problems,” the coach added.

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After consulting with his assistant, Helman Mkhalele, Broos decided to give Mbule another chance — a decision that paid off. The Orlando Pirates midfielder impressed during the World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria, earning another call-up for the clashes with Zimbabwe and Rwanda, where he delivered standout performances.

Jordaan speaks on Bafana's point deduction

Briefly News earlier reported that SAFA president Danny Jordaan commented on Bafana Bafana's points deduction during the World Cup qualifiers.

There have been calls from the public that those involved in the issue should be sanctioned by SAFA.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News