GDL stars dominate Amajimbos squad
Vela Khumalo, the u17 coach of the South African National Team, Amajimbos, announced his squad for the Confederation of African Football (Caf) u17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Morocco on Friday, with most players of the squad currently playing in the Gauteng Development League (GDL).
The tournament kicks off next week on Wednesday in the city of Rabat at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, where the host nation, Morocco, faces Tunisia in the opening match. Amajimbos start their campaign against Senegal on Thursday.
Khumalo’s players will need to perform exceptionally well in Group D, which is arguably the most challenging group in the tournament. It also includes Senegal, the 2023 champions, Ghana, the two-time champions, who first won in 1995 during the inaugural tournament, and Algeria.
Speaking to the South African Football Association (SAFA) Media Team, Khumalo assessed his team’s chances of advancing beyond the group stages. “What we have seen is that we stand a good chance, and we can get out of this group,” he said.
“We know that Senegal is a little bit physical, and they are big. The same goes with Ghana. Algeria is more or less like us. We have done our analysis on all of them, and we think we can do well.”
Khumalo’s team is focused on qualifying for the 2026 u17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year – a huge source of motivation for all Afcon participants.
The goal remains the same, Khumalo said, and the 2026 team is determined to match last year’s team, which qualified for the World Cup.
“We said that going to the World Cup is not about getting out of the group stages, but we also want to see ourselves going further in the tournament,” he said.
Khumalo’s squad features an abundance of GDL players, with Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns prominently featuring among the selected players.
Lwandiso Radebe, from St Stithians College, is a regular presence at the international level and represents ‘Downs at goalkeeper. He joined the Brazilians last year after progressing through the SuperSport United Academy. He also captained Amajimbos at the u17 Afcon in Morocco.
Radebe was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament and earned a spot in the Best XI at the 2025 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games in Namibia.
South Africa’s u17 team contested the u20 Cosafa tournament, which formed part of the Region 5 Youth Games, and won the title, beating Malawi 3-0 in the final.
In 2025, Radebe was also crowned the Goalkeeper of the Year on SuperSport Schools’ Football on 216 Awards Show.
Other goalkeepers selected for Afcon include Radebe’s team-mate, Ethan Garcia, and Chiefs’ Keabetswe Morake.
Apart from those players selected from GDL clubs, the defensive lineup also features Orlando Pirates’ Tristan O’Malley, Neo Mangcaka from Ubuntu Football Academy, and Zazi Qotoyi of Cape Town City.
Qotoyi is expected to play a crucial role in leading the defence and safeguarding the goalkeepers. In 2025, the Citizens‘ defender helped his side clinch the Western Cape Engen Knockout Challenge. They later won the Engen Champs of Champs with the Blue and Gold Army. He was named the Engen Champ of Champs’ Defender of the Tournament.
Up front, Mpho Molepo, Omphemetse Sekgot, Siyabonga Mbongo, and Ntokozo Madondo, all from Sundowns, will be relied upon to score goals. They’ll be joined in the attacking line by AmaZulu‘s Obama Mhlongo and Samkelo Mkhonto, of TS Galaxy.
Goalkeepers
Ethan Garcia – Mamelodi Sundowns
Lwandiso Radebe – Mamelodi Sundowns
Keabetswe Morake – Kaizer Chiefs
Defenders
Tashiel Rugunanan – Kaizer Chiefs
Reotshepile Malete – Kazier Chiefs
Tristan O’Malley – Orlando Pirates
Neo Mangcaka – Ubuntu Football Academy
Zazi Qotoyi – Cape Town City
Lutho Makunga – Kaizer Chiefs
Braythen Moffit – Kaizer Chiefs
Tumelo Moerane – Kaizer Chiefs
Midfielders
Jesse Gewer – Kaizer Chiefs
Inganathi Simana – Mamelodi Sundowns
Aphelele Majola – Mamelodi Sundowns
Jaylen Potgieter – FC Köln Academy
Forwards
Mpho Molepo – Mamelodi Sundowns
Omphemetse Sekgoto – Mamelodi Sundowns
Obama Mhlongo – AmaZulu
Ntokozo Madondo – Mamelodi Sundowns
Siyabonga Mbondo – Mamelodi Sundowns
Samkelo Mkhonto – TS Galaxy
Head Coach – Vela Khumalo
