Banyana Banyana centre back Bambanani Mbane is in line to earn her 100th cap in the friendlies against Algeria in Durban next week.
Image: BackpagePix
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has paid tribute to defenders Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Dhlamini as they close in on significant international milestones ahead of the team’s friendlies against Algeria in Durban.
Mbane is on the brink of earning her 100th cap for South Africa, while Dhlamini is set to reach the 50-match mark, which is a testament to their consistency and importance in the national setup.
Ellis highlighted Mbane’s enduring influence at the heart of Banyana’s defence, describing her as a cornerstone of the team over many years.
“I think Bambanani has been immense for the team. There’s a period that she went through where she had a couple of injuries. She probably would have reached the milestone sooner,” Ellis said at training at Riverside Sports Club in Durban North on Thursday.
“She’s been an ever-present in our defence, someone you can rely on; we’ve seen her value at Wafcon.”
"Becoming a legend is never easy, but if you have certain goals for yourself anything is possible. You must work hard. I'm proud and so excited to reach my 100th cap," the defender said.
"Not everyone reaches the knockout stage of a World Cup or wins the Wafcon, and I was one of those players who win the Wafcon, and that was motivation to win the next Wafcon."
Banyana Banyana players are put through their paces in Monday's training session in Durban, ahead of next week's friendlies against Algeria.
Image: Rown Callaghan
Dhlamini, meanwhile, represents the next generation that has grown into a key role in the squad, having been introduced to the senior setup at a young age.
“Someone like Karabo, people thought I was mad when I took her to that 2019 World Cup straight from the U17 World Cup – as a 17-year-old turning 18,” Ellis explained.
“But where would she be now if we did not do that? Because we needed to also make sure that wasn’t just about that World Cup, it was about getting someone ready to go forward.”
Now firmly established, Dhlamini has become a mainstay at left-back, earning praise for both her versatility and technical quality.
“Karabo has probably been the left-back that has played the most in that position. Also very versatile, very good on the ball,” Ellis said. “If you look in the league you’ll see the quality she has, and she’s brought that quality to the national team.”
Ellis believes both players fully deserve their upcoming milestones, not only for their performances on the pitch but also for their professionalism and leadership in the squad.
“Well deserved, both of them. They deserve it because of the effort that they put in. They’ve been ever-present in the national team and never really disappointed,” she said.
“They’ve been players that you can count on but also for the younger players to look up to, because they’ve been ultimate professionals, both of them.”
With Banyana balancing experience and emerging talent, the milestones of Mbane and Dhlamini underline the continuity in Ellis’ squad – a key ingredient as they continue building towards their next major challenge, the 2026 Wafcon in Morocco in July.