Amajita to defend u20 regional crown in Windhoek
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has revealed the teams of boys and girls football squads that will represent South Africa at the forthcoming Regional 5 Youth Games, scheduled to take place in Namibia from 4 July to 13 July.
The Regional 5 Youth Games will feature athletes under the age of 20 with South African football men’s team set to go in an as the u20 South African National Team known as Amajita and proud champions of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
South African Boys’ Team
This year’s u20 men’s Council of Southern Africa Football Association (Cosafa) will take place as part of the Regional 5 Youth Games in Windhoek, Namibia.
The South African u20 National Team, enters the tournament as one of the favourites in Namibia, participating in the u20 football competition at the Region 5 Youth Games after having secured the title in 2024 in Mozambique.
Under the guidance of coach Raymond Mdaka, Amajita achieved the unthinkable and went on to win their first Afcon title by defeating Morocco in a historic 1-0 match, thanks to a stunning goal by midfielder Gomolemo Kekana. This victory marked Amajita’s first experience of an African championship in a generation, promising to revive the country’s legacy of outstanding footballers.
South Africa approaches this competition with a sense of pride, having won the regional (Cosafa) u20 competition nine times, with their inaugural title being claimed in 2000. Additionally, South Africa hosted the tournament for 11 consecutive years from 1999 to 2009.
The nation has successfully qualified for the regional tournament on nine separate occasions, achieving the gold championship in 2024 and securing the silver medal in 1997.
One of the most remarkable performances by the South African team occurred in 2016 when they reached the final of the Cosafa u20 championship held on home ground, showcasing the exciting style of football for which they are renowned. However, they were defeated by Zambia in the final match with a score of 2-1, resulting in Zambia claiming the title. This outcome was a significant disappointment, which they redeemed by winning the gold medal in 2017.
A memorable moment for dedicated development fans during Amajita’s journey in 2017 was undoubtedly their achievement of topping their group with a perfect nine points, as well as their narrow 1-0 victory over North African guests Egypt in the semifinals. In the final match, Amajita secured a decisive 2-1 victory against Lesotho, thereby bringing home the trophy.
In 2018, South Africa experienced another successful campaign in the competition, leading the group stages against Mauritius and Eswatini, followed by a 1-0 victory over Angola in the semifinals. This semifinal win set the stage for a final match against their long-time rivals, Zimbabwe, which concluded in a thrilling 1-1 draw during regulation time. South Africa ultimately winning with a 4-3 win in the penalty shootout.
With the prospect of achieving a hat-trick of titles in 2019, South Africa was unable to replicate the successes of 2017 and 2018, suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Zambia in the final.
In 2020, the situation took a turn for the worse for the nation, resulting in a group stage exit for the first time in nearly a decade. Despite a commanding 7-0 victory over Lesotho, draws against Zimbabwe (2-2) and Mozambique (0-0) left South Africa finishing as runners-up in their group.
By 2024, a revitalised Amajita and the entire football development community, which rekindled love and passion among the devoted supporters of the beautiful game, witnessed Amajita’s resurgence as they clinched the gold championship.
This victory secured their place in the 2025 u20 Afcon, which they ultimately won earlier this year. Throughout the Cosafa championship, Amajita remained unbeaten and concluded the tournament by defeating their arch-rival Zambia 2-0 in the final, marking a sweet victory for the nation.
The u20 South African team representing the nation at the Regional 5 Youth Games will feature different players from the regular u20 squad that is preparing for the FIFA World Cup will take place from 27 September to 19 October across four cities in Chile – Santiago, Valparaíso, Rancagua, and Talca.
This team primarily consists of young talents such as Cape Town City’s Emile Witbooi who have already showcased their skills in the u17 National Team, known as Amajimbos, who have also qualified for the upcoming u17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, scheduled from 3 November to 27 November.
u20 South African National Team
Lwandiso Radebe, Lehlonolo Mosia, Bokamoso Mokokosi, Khayalethu Mzimela, Royce Malatji, Hayden Booysen, Sive Pama, Lunje Noqobo, Ziyanda Mchunu, Kamohelo Mareletse, Tebogo Mlangeni, Lebohang Dhlamini, Steven Mendesm Selwyn Stevens, Emile Witbooi, Simphiwe Mlomdo, Ompheemetse Sekgoto, Sivuziwe Lonzi, Neo Bohloko, Obama Mhlongo
Coaches/Management:
Vela Khumalo, Thabo Mngomeni, Shu-Aib Walters, Mulalo Mafenya
