Bonolo Mokoma on her return to national setup ahead of Olympic Qualifiers

The 18-year-old forward earned a recall to Desiree Ellis’ 24-player squad for the second-round qualifiers set to take place on the 9th and 13th of October in Bloemfontein.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Mokoma says the return presents another opportunity to contribute to the national team after missing out on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

“I’m really happy to be back with the national team. This is a sweet return for me, especially after missing out on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. I really want to show up for the team and be impactful in these important qualifiers. I’m looking forward to playing again, working hard with the team and hopefully getting a good result against Madagascar,” said Mokoma.

READ: Harry Kane misses from the spot as Spain edge England in Nations Cup opener

Mokoma stressed that Banyana Banyana must make the most of their home advantage, while calling on supporters to turn out in numbers and rally behind the team.

“These qualifiers are very important to us because we want to qualify for the Olympics. Playing at home is also exciting because we’ll have our supporters behind us, and we want to make them proud. I urge supporters to come out and give us the extra push. These games are a must win, we have to put pressure on the opponents,” added Mokoma.

“I think we have a strong squad with a lot of talented players. Everyone is working hard and pushing each other and the team has a really good spirit. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together, and I really think we have the capacity to go all the way.”