• Safa has appointed Pitso Mosimane on a five-year contract, with Musi Matlaba and Kabelo Rangoaga joining his technical team.

• Mosimane returns after a difficult first Bafana spell and begins 2027 Afcon qualifying against Guinea in September.

Pitso Mosimane has officially returned as Bafana Bafana coach more than 14 years after his first spell ended.

Safa unveiled the 62-year-old on Tuesday after weeks of contract talks delayed an appointment that had been expected for almost a month.

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Mosimane has signed a five-year deal and replaces Hugo Broos, who left after guiding South Africa to the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Mosimane knows Bafana well.

He played for South Africa before becoming an assistant to Joel Santana and Carlos Alberto Parreira.

He was also part of the technical team at the 2010 World Cup before replacing Parreira as head coach.

That first spell ended badly.

Bafana missed the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after mistakenly believing a draw against Sierra Leone would be enough to qualify.

Mosimane remained in charge but was eventually fired in June 2012 after a 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Ethiopia.

Bafana had failed to win their final seven matches under him.

He finished his first spell with six wins, seven draws and three defeats from 16 matches.

Mosimane now returns with a far stronger record after winning major trophies with Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly and coaching across the Middle East.

His first challenge will be qualifying Bafana for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa are in Group D with Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya.

Bafana are expected to begin against Guinea in September before facing Eritrea in October.

November will bring a home-and-away double-header against Kenya -- and a meeting with former Bafana striker Benni McCarthy, who coaches the Harambee Stars.