The South African Football Association (SAFA) has planned two training camps for the newly-formed South African U15 National Team during the FIFA international weeks in October and November, and a final squad will subsequently be selected from this group ahead of the exciting Six Nations International Tournament to be held in December 2023.
The U15 national team was created under the Technical Development Scheme (TDS) in July 2023 when SAFA hosted an U15 interprovincial tournament. A new national side was selected, and a pool of players were identified to become the core base of the U15 national team.
SAFA Technical Director Walter Steenbok implemented the FIFA TDS concept in South Africa and has worked tirelessly to create the U15 National team. He highlighted the main reason behind forming this team.
“We need to prepare our juniors from a younger age, so that when they get to the competitive age of U17 they have gained more international caps and understand our playing philosophy. The Technical Committee of SAFA saw that we have very talented players at youth level, however, they do not have sufficient experience to compete against other nations in high level competitions,” he told www.safa.net.
“Therefore, we have, identified this group of U15 players to be the next core of the U17 national team that will represent South Africa in 2025. We aim at developing them for the next two years so that we can compete in the next U17 CAF African Cup of Nations, and to qualify for the next FIFA U17 World Cup.”
A preliminary squad of 52 players has been chosen for the upcoming training camps together with a technical staff of coaches who have vast experience in the youth ranks in South African football.
Coach Godfrey Sapula will be the head coach of the U15 national team as he has a lot of experience with this age group. Coaches Thabo Mngomeni, Smuts Ndlovu and Lazarus Kgosana will be the three assistants.
Prelim squad:
| # | NAMES | TEAM |
| 1 | Lwandiso RADEBE | SuperSport United |
| 2 | Thenkosi GXEKWA | Eastern Cape |
| 3 | Blackwel lRONIN | Gauteng |
| 4 | Von Meulen CHRISTIANO | School of Excellence |
| 5 | Luke HENDRICKS | Cape Town Academy |
| 6 | Bokamoso MOKOKOSI | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 7 | Kann TIAGO | Gauteng |
| 8 | Liam MARTHINIUS | Cape Town Academy |
| 9 | Tswelelo MAAKE | SuperSport United |
| 10 | Lebogang MSWANE | School of Excellence |
| 11 | Royce MALATJI | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 12 | Steven MENDES | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 13 | Emile WITBOOI | School of Excellence |
| 14 | Caleb BENJAMIN | Cape Town |
| 15 | Karabo MODIKA | Gauteng |
| 16 | Khumo KOLOTI | SuperSport United |
| 17 | Simphiwe MLONDO | School of Excellence |
| 18 | Lesego HLOPHE | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 19 | Kgaogelo MONANYANE | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 20 | David STOBER | SuperSport United |
| 21 | Siphesihle ZACA | KZN Province |
| 22 | Lazarus LUCA | SuperSport United |
| 23 | Tashiel RUGUNANAN | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 24 | Umphile MALULELE | Limpopo Schools U-17 |
| 25 | Neo BOHLOKO | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 26 | Inga SAMANA | Ubuntu |
| 27 | Rhys FERGUSON | Ubuntu |
| 28 | Hayden BOOYSEN | Ubuntu |
| 29 | Ishaam TILLING | Ubuntu |
| 30 | Riley SWARTS | Fortuna Sittard, Netherlands |
| 31 | Thabela Siyabonga MALOMANE | Junior Khanye Academy |
| 32 | Misayami MADINI | KZN Academy |
| 33 | Dyann FUDU | KZN Academy |
| 34 | Nhlonipho CENGA | KZN Academy |
| 35 | Sinalo GXOGXO | Buffalo City /Eastern Cape |
| 36 | Uyathandwa SBOTHOBOTHO | Buffalo City /Eastern Cape |
| 37 | Reyaan RAFFIE | Rapid Viena, Austria |
| 38 | Anando PETIT | GERMANY BV 04 Dusseldorf,Germany |
| 39 | Noah Kai SMITH | AL Jazira, UAE |
| 40 | Maurius SIMANGA | Frederecia,Denmark |
| 41 | Samuel NDLOVU | Tips FC, Finland |
| 42 | Johannes Ayanda ALBERTSEN | Silkeborg, Denmark |
| 43 | Selwyn STEVEN | Cape Town Spurs |
| 44 | Thurston JACOBS | Cape Town Spurs |
| 45 | Zailen JACOBS | Cape Town Spurs |
| 46 | Amdriano ADAMS | Cape Town Spurs |
| 47 | Sive PAMA | Cape Town City |
| 48 | Anovuyo MQOPI | Cape Town City |
| 49 | Akhanya SOTASHE | Cape Town City |
| 50 | Jaylen POTGIETER | FC Cologne |
| 51 | Ntolo NCEBO | KZN Schools U-14 |
52 Ntokozo ZUNGU KZN Schools U-14
SOURCED FROM THE SAFA WEBSITE.
