Mdaka confirms Witbooi will join South Africa Under-20s after opening COSAFA Cup match

South Africa Under-20 coach Raymond Mdaka says an agreement has been reached with Cape Town City for Emile Witbooi to join the squad after their opening match at the U20 Cosafa Cup in Mozambique.

Witbooi turned 18 this month and is regarded as one of the key players in the Under-20 set-up. He has also made an impressive start to the new season with Cape Town City in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

His absence from the national team camp came amid considerable speculation over his future at club level. However, Mdaka said Witbooi was not available because of an arrangement with Cape Town City.

Cayden Fortune, another Cape Town City player, was also missing from the camp. Fletcher Smythe Lowe of Estoril, Bennet Mokoena of Mamelodi Sundowns and Mpho Padime of Orlando Pirates were also not present.

“Some few players arrived this weekend, [Kgomotso] Madiba will arrive tonight [Monday], Witbooi was also playing and they requested a compromise for us to have him after the game on the 19th [September], we afforded him because of his quality,” Mdaka said.

South Africa are due to face Lesotho on 19 September, Angola on 21 September and eSwatini on 23 September.

“Looking at the fixture we have on the 19th – against Lesotho, we play Angola on the 21st and then the 23rd against eSwatini, so it’s only three players, one arrived, and the other two will be able to join us after the first match in Mozambique,” Mdaka added.

Mdaka outlines preparation for absent players

The coach was asked how the players who missed the camp would be integrated into the squad before the team travelled to Mozambique.

Mdaka said his staff, including coach Karabo and the other coaches, had continued to monitor the players despite their absence.

“What we have been doing that people may not see, we try by all means, with coach Karabo honestly and the other coaches too,” Mdaka said.

“We make sure that we are in most of the games that are there, those we could not reach, we always have clips and matches,” he explained.

Mdaka said the coaching staff had maintained contact with the players and worked to ensure they did not feel excluded from the group.

“We talk to the players, we motivate them, they don’t have to feel like they are left out, we are monitoring them in essence, whoever we bring in, we’ve looked at them, watched them and we have had time looking at them just to see how far they can take us.”