Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has announced the squad that will face Zambia and Botswana in international friendlies to be played this month, but they will be without star striker Thembi Kgatlana. 

The South African senior women’s national team will play against Botswana on Wednesday, 28 May, and then Botswana and Zambia will face off against each other on Saturday, 31 May.  

Then Ellis’ charges will wrap up the Three-Nations series against Zambia on Tuesday, 3 June. These matches are part of the preparation for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations that will take place in Morocco in July.  

However, Kgatlana has not been selected to this camp and Ellis explained that she has club commitments that would have made it difficult for her to travel from North America and still be fresh enough for the two friendlies. 

The matches are part of the senior women’s national team’s preparations for the defense of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title as the countdown continues to the continental tournament to be hosted in Morocco from 5-26 July 2025. 

“We are the highest ranked team in the COSAFA region, but I don’t think that means anything,” she said. 

“I think being the WAFCON defending champions as well, I think that carries a bit of weight on your back with everybody wanting to play you and wanting to beat you and come up and put up the best performance. 

“But we also know that it’s a test not just for us but for them. We’re all going to the WAFCON. Botswana got to the quarterfinals, Zambia got to the semi-finals the last time.   

“So, the test is for us but just so much as it is for them, and I think the physicality that both of them are going to bring is something we sometimes struggle with. 

“I think we’ve got to have more control, and this will help us to see where we are with that. Defensively we’ve got to be sound and obviously at set-pieces we’re going to be challenged with the area that they have.  

“The speed of both teams’ attack that they have, we’ve got to be able to then organise our defensive shape better because that is what’s going to happen at WAFCON.” 

All three matches will be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville and kick off is at 15:00 for all of them.