Pitso Mosimane Names Ronwen Williams, Zwane and Chaine as Bafana Captains

• Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane announced a multiple-captain system for the national team ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers
• Mosimane named Ronwen Williams, Themba Zwane and Sipho Chaine as captains, departing from the single-skipper approach used previously
• The coach cited Kylian Mbappe as an example of why leadership should not be determined by age alone
• Briefly News spoke exclusively to a football analyst on Mosimane's captain's choices

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has moved away from a single-captain model, naming three players to share the armband ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Mosimane confirmed that Ronwen Williams, Themba Zwane and Sipho Chaine will all serve as captains, announcing on 17 September 2026 as he unveiled his final squad for upcoming AFCON qualifier matches against Guinea and Eritrea in Johannesburg.

Mosimane on his captaincy philosophy

The coach told iDiski Times that he views leadership as something that should be distributed across a squad rather than concentrated in a single player. He argued that relying on one captain creates unnecessary vulnerability, particularly when that player is injured or unavailable.

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"I believe in leadership in many ways," Mosimane said.

"So we won't have one captain. We have a few captains, and I will sometimes choose a captain of the day because if Mbappe is a captain, I think we can also have a young captain. A captain doesn't have to be a player because he's 38, 35, okay."

Mosimane also made clear that he wants to use the captaincy as a development tool for younger members of the squad. He pointed to France's Kylian Mbappe as evidence that leadership ability does not depend on age or seniority.

Williams retains role alongside new captains

Under the previous coaching setup, Williams served as the team's sole captain, with other senior players deputising in his absence. Mosimane confirmed Williams would retain a captaincy role within the new structure rather than being replaced.

The three-captain approach is part of a broader set of changes Mosimane has introduced since taking charge of Bafana Bafana, which also includes a number of new call-ups to the squad. South Africa are set to face Guinea and Eritrea in Johannesburg as part of their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign.

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Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, football analyst Brighton Ncube believes Pitso Mosimane's decision to use three captains is about creating a broader leadership structure rather than diminishing Ronwen Williams' authority.

“I actually think this makes sense from Mosimane's perspective. Ronwen Williams has already established himself as a leader for Bafana, so this isn't really about taking something away from him. It is about recognising that leadership can come from different areas of the squad.”

Ncube believes the three players bring distinctly different forms of leadership to the group.

“Williams gives you the goalkeeper's perspective, and he has been in that position for a long time. Themba Zwane brings enormous experience and understands what it means to play for Bafana over many years. Then you have Sipho Chaine, who represents a younger generation. Those are three very different voices.”

Orlando Stadium confirmed for Mosimane’s Bafana return

Briefly News previously reported that SAFA had confirmed Orlando Stadium as the venue for Pitso Mosimane’s first competitive match back in charge of Bafana Bafana.

South Africa will host Guinea in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier on 26 September 2026, with tickets already on sale ahead of the fixture. SAFA president Danny Jordaan encouraged supporters to attend.

Source: Briefly News