Helman Mkhalele, the current Bafana Bafana assistant coach and an Orlando Pirates legend, is actively preparing to take over the national team reins from Hugo Broos, who has confirmed he will retire after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mkhalele has begun his CAF A Licence qualification to meet the necessary coaching requirements.
Broos Confirms Retirement and Endorses Successor
Hugo Broos, 73, announced he will conclude his long career in July 2026. The Belgian coach expressed a desire to retire and spend time with his family following the World Cup tournament, should Bafana Bafana qualify.
Following his retirement announcement, Broos named Mkhalele as his preferred successor, citing the need for a smooth transition to maintain the team’s working methods and football philosophy.
Broos described Mkhalele as a deep thinker who “sees football almost 95% like me,” but noted that Mkhalele’s immediate hurdle was acquiring the required high-level coaching qualification.
Qualification Journey Begins
The 56-year-old, nicknamed “Midnight Express,” has taken the crucial first step toward meeting those requirements by enrolling in his CAF A Licence course, which he is currently undertaking in Maseru, Lesotho.
Mkhalele joined Broos’ technical team in 2021 and played a key role in the national team’s resurgence. His coaching background includes serving as South Africa’s U20 caretaker coach starting in 2016 before taking the role full-time in 2017. As a player, he enjoyed a distinguished career at Jomo Cosmos and Orlando Pirates before playing in Turkey.
In the interim, Mkhalele is helping prepare Bafana Bafana for their upcoming friendly against Zambia on November 15th at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off.
