Morena Ramoreboli appointed Bafana Bafana assistant coach after Botswana exit

The 45-year-old leaves his position as Botswana head coach to return to the Bafana environment, replacing Helman Mkhalele, who was not retained following Hugo Broos' departure.

Ramoreboli took charge of Botswana in January 2025 after leaving Jwaneng Galaxy and oversaw 12 matches. His spell with the Zebras included helping them qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending the country's 12-year absence from the tournament.

His appointment also reunites him with Bafana, having previously guided the national team to the 2021 COSAFA Cup title in a coaching capacity.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Botswana Football Association (BFA) confirmed his departure from the Zebras in a joint statement, describing the move as a reflection of the strong footballing relationship between the neighbouring nations.

"Coach Morena Ramoreboli will leave his position as Head Coach of the Botswana Senior Men's National Team, The Zebras, to join the Bafana Bafana technical team as Assistant Coach to Head Coach Pitso Mosimane," the associations said.

SAFA president Danny Jordaan welcomed Ramoreboli back to the national team setup and believes his experience will complement Mosimane's.

"Morena knows South African football, understands African football and has demonstrated that he can build competitive teams, develop players and deliver results in challenging circumstances," Jordaan said.

"His experience in Botswana has added another important dimension to his coaching career. We believe his qualities will complement those of Coach Pitso Mosimane and strengthen the Bafana Bafana technical team as we begin the journey towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations."

Ramoreboli now joins Mosimane as Bafana begin preparations for their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, which gets underway later this month.