The South African Football Association (SAFA) on Tuesday announced the return of Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana head coach, three and a half weeks after he was announced as the preferred candidate of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
SAFA had announced Mosimane would return pending the finalisation of "loose ends" on Saturday, August 8. President Danny Jordaan said they expected to officially unveil him the following week. However, the plan did not materialise.
It has been widely reported that the subsequent impasse related to Mosimane and SAFA struggling to find each other over his pay package. South Africa's outspoken Sport, Arts & Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly warned SAFA a week ago against playing hardball over Mosimane's salary.
Three weeks before Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Guinea at home on September 23 and Eritrea away on September 27, the deal is over the line.
Mosimane was previously Bafana's head coach from 2010-2012, succeeding Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira after serving as his assistant during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After a misunderstanding of the rules led Bafana to believe they had qualified for AFCON 2012 when they had, in fact, failed to do so, Mosimane's first stint in charge unravelled. After his sacking in June 2012, he spectacularly revived his career in an eight-year stint at Mamelodi Sundowns which included the 2016 CAF Champions League.
Mosimane went on to win two more CAF Champions League titles with Egypt's Al Ahly in a stint which also ultimately served as a bridge to a spell coaching in the Middle East. 'Jingles', as he is affectionately known, coached Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli and Abha, the UAE's Al Wahda and Iran's Esteghlal.
Following the launch of his youth football coaching manual in July this year, he declared himself open to new jobs.
Mosimane now has the chance to write a new chapter in his Bafana Bafana legacy. He succeeds Hugo Broos a month after the Belgian's departure upon the expiration of his contract on July 31.
In a stint spanning over five years, Broos had led Bafana Bafana to the round of 32 to the 2026 FIFA World Cup - their first ever knockout stage appearance. Previously, he steered them to third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) - held belatedly in early 2024 in Ivory Coast.