Bafana Bafana coaches list and history as of 2022: Who was the best?

The South African men's national football team has recruited several coaches since 1992, but only one of the Bafana Bafana coaches has led them to Afcon glory. This article delves deeper into the profiles of the coaches and much more!

Ever wondered what Bafana means? Well, 'Bafana' is a Zulu word meaning boys.

Bafana Bafana coaches list

Who was the first coach of Bafana Bafana? Here is a profile of all the Bafana Bafana coaches since 1992.

Jeff Butler (1992)

In 1992, Jeff Butler became the first South African coach but lost his job due to qualification issues.

Jeff Butler profile

• Full name: Jeff Butler
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 8 January 1934
• Date of death: 22 April 2017
• Zodiac sign: Capricorn
• Place of birth: England
• Nationality: British
• Wife: Valerie
• Children: Four (Allison, John, Mike, Tim)

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Football

Stanley 'Screamer' Tshabalala (1992)

Stanley coached the team for just three months.

Stanley Tshabalala profile

• Full name: Stanley Tshabalala
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 1949
• Age: 72 (as of January 2022)
• Place of birth: South Africa
• Nationality: South African
• Wife: Popo Tshabalala
• Children: Tokollo Tshabalala

Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba (1992)

Ephraim Mashaba managed the team in only one game against Congo.

Ephraim Mashaba profile

• Full name: Ephraim Mashaba
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 6 August 1950
• Age: 71 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Leo
• Place of birth: Soweto, South Africa
• Nationality: South African
• Daughter: Nonhlanhla Mashaba

Augusto Palacios (1992-1994)

Augusto Palacious failed to lead the country to its first Africa Cup of Nations in 1994.

Augusto Palacios profile

• Full name: Augusto Palacios
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 23 December 1951
• Age: 70 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Capricorn
• Place of birth: Lima, Peru
• Nationality: Peruvian

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Football

Clive Barker (1994-1997)

Clive Barker led South Africa to the Africa Cup of Nations glory in 1996. He also became the first coach to help the team qualify for a World Cup.

Clive Barker profile

• Full name: Clive William Barker
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 23 July 1944
• Age: 77 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Leo
• Place of birth: Durban, South Africa
• Nationality: South African

Ephraim 'Jomo' Sono (1998)

Ephraim Sono coached Bafana in the 1998 Afcon in Burkina Faso and helped the national side qualify for the 2002 World Cup finals.

Ephraim Sono profile

• Full name: Ephraim Matsilela Sono
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 7 July 1955
• Age: 66 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Cancer
• Place of birth: Orlando East, Soweto
• Nationality: South African
• Wife: Gail Sono
• Children: Bamuza, Nyiko, Matsilela, Jr.

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Football

Phillipe Troussier (1998)

Phillipe Troussier coached South Africa in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Phillipe Troussier profile

• Full name: Phillipe Troussier
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 21 March 1955
• Age: 66 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Aries
• Place of birth: Paris, France
• Nationality: French

Trott Moloto (1998 - 2000)

Under Trott Moloto, the team finished third in the 2000 Afcon.

Trott Moloto profile

• Full name: Trott Moloto
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 19 July 1956
• Age: 65 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Cancer
• Place of birth: Polokwane, South Africa
• Nationality: South African

Carlos Queiroz (2000 - 2002)

The Portuguese helped South Africa qualify for the 2002 World Cup. However, his side lost to Mali in the quarters of the 2002 Afcon.

Carlos Queiroz profile

• Full name: Carlos Manuel Brito Leal de Queiroz
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 1 March 1953
• Age: 68 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Pisces
• Place of birth: Nampula, Portuguese Mozambique
• Nationality: Portuguese
• Wife: Ana Paula
• Children: Rogério, Sandra

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Football

April Phumo (2003 - 2004)

Former South Africa manager April Phumo took the team to the 2004 Afcon in Tunisia but exited in the group stage.

April Phumo profile

• Full name: April Phumo
• Nick Name: Styles
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 1 April 1937
• Date of death: 27 November 2011
• Zodiac sign: Aries
• Place of birth: Johannesburg, South Africa
• Place of death: Bloemfontein
• Nationality: South African

Stuart Baxter (2004 - 2005)

The British tactician guided South Africa to the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarters but failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

Stuart Baxter profile

• Full name: Stuart Baxter
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 16 August 1953
• Age: 68 (as of January 2022)
• Place of birth: Wolverhampton, England
• Nationality: British
• Wife: Cecilia Baxter
• Children: Sean Baxter, Natalie Baxter
• Net worth: $1.5 million

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Football

Ted Dumitru (2005 - 2006)

Ted Dumitru took charge of the team in the 2006 Afcon tournament in Egypt and lost all three games without scoring a goal.

Stuart Baxter profile

• Full name: Ted Dumitru
• Nickname: Teodorescu Dumitru
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 02 September 1939
• Date of death: 26 May 2016
• Cause of death: Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
• Place of birth: Bucharest, Romania
• Place of death: Johannesburg, South Africa

Pitso Mosimane (2006 - 2012)

Pitso Mosimane served both as an assistant and caretaker of his national team.

Pitso Mosimane profile

• Full name: Pitso Mosimane
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 26 July 1964
• Age: 57 (as of January 2022)
• Place of birth: Kagiso, Gauteng, South Africa
• Nationality: South African
• Wife: Moira Mosimane
• Children: Lelentle, Kopano
• Net worth: $5 million

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Football

Carlos Alberto Parreira (2007 - 2008)

The Brazilian led the team to the 2008 Afcon in Ghana but got eliminated in the first round. As a result, he resigned in April 2008.

Carlos Alberto Parreira profile

• Full name: Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 27 February 1943
• Age: 78 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Pisces
• Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Wife: Leila Parreira
• Children: Vanessa Parreira, Dani Parreira
• Net worth: $12 Million

Joel Natalino Santana (2008 - 2009)

Natalino led the country to a fourth place finish in the 2009 Confederations Cup held in South Africa. The Brazilian tactician lasted 16 months.

Joel Natalino Santana profile

• Full name: Joel Natalino Santana
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: 25 December 1948
• Age: 73 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Capricorn
• Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Nationality: Brazilian

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Football

Steve Komphela (2012)

Steve Komphela served as South Africa coach for only two games in June 2012. He defeated Gabon 3-0 in an international friendly fixture and drew 1-1 with Botswana in a World Cup qualifier match.

Steve Komphela profile

• Full name: Steve Komphela
• Date of birth: 1 July 1967
• Age: 54 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Cancer
• Place of birth: Kroonstad, Free State
• Nationality: South African
• Spouse: Mamoepi Komphela
• Children: Nombuyiselo, Nomalanga, Noxolo
• Net worth: $500,000

Gordon Igesund (2012 - 2014)

Under Gordon Igesund, South Africa failed to impress their home fans in the 2013 Afcon tournament and the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN). They also failed to reach the 2014 World Cup finals.

Gordon Igesund profile

• Full name: Gordon Igesund
• Date of birth: 22 July 1956
• Age: 65 (as of January 2022)
• Zodiac sign: Cancer
• Place of birth: Durban, South Africa
• Nationality: South African

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Football

Stuart Baxter (2016 - 2019)

Baxter returned and helped the team qualify for the 2019 Afcon tournament in Egypt but failed to secure a spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Molefi Ntseki (2019 - 2021)

Molefi Ntseki failed to book a spot in the 2022 Afcon tournament in Cameroon. However, the embarrassing defeat by Sudan at the Al-Hilal Stadium in Khartoum cost him his career.

Molefi Ntseki profile

• Full name: Molefi Ntseki
• Date of birth: 18 August 1969
• Age: 52 (as of January 2022)
• Place of birth: Botshabelo, South Africa
• Nationality: South African
• Weight: 70 Kg
• Height: 1.51 m
• Eye Color: Black
• Hair Color: Black

Bafana Bafana's new coach

Who is the current Bafana Bafana coach? Hugo Broos is the team's manager.

Hugo Broos (2021 - present)

The Belgian tenure began with three victories and a draw in his opening four games. In May 2021, he appointed Molefi Ntseki and Cedomir Janevski as his two assistants. South Africa lost 1-0 to Ghana in a crucial decider, therefore, missing out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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Football

Hugo Broos profile

• Full name: Hugo Broos profile
• Date of birth: 10 April 1952
• Age: 69 (as of January 2022)
• Place of birth: Humbeek, Belgium

Bafana Bafana coach's salary

In July 2021, the South African Football Association confirmed that Broos would not receive his salaries for May and June following his short return to Belgium.

Hugo Broos will be hoping to become one of the most succesful Bafana Bafana coaches in history as he prepares the team for the future.

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