New Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams hopes his captaincy brings success to the national team

Ronwen Williams’ journey as Bafana Bafana captain begins on Friday, and the new skipper is determined to start his tenure on a winning note.

This week Bafana coach Hugo Broos named Williams as the new captain and Egypt-based Percy Tau as his deputy in a decision that will be put to the test when the national team faces Zimbabwe in a tricky 2022 World Cup qualifier away from home on Friday, and against Ghana at FNB stadium in Johannesburg on Monday next week.

The Supersport United goalkeeper has captained Bafana on an interim basis on a number of occasions in the past, but as the new captain pointed out, it will be a different ball game this time as he is taking over the armband on a permanent basis.

"Before, it was interim, it was because some players were not there, some players were rested and I was the most experienced [in the camp] at the time," he said.

"But now it is on a fulltime basis, and  it is time for me to take charge. I have been given this responsibility and I can't run away from it, l can't shy away from it. I need to grab it and hopefully it will come with success.

"That is what I am hoping for, that is what I am praying for, not for myself, but for us as a country. We have  so much top talent but we have not achieved anything.

"The best was [reaching] the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations three years ago [at the tournament held in Egypt]. We are looking for more of that and hopefully we can push ourselves, and hopefully this captaincy can bring success."

The SA Football Association (Safa) confirmed that all the players are in camp after Gift Links and Luther Singh arrived from Denmark on Tuesday.

The two players had games in Europe on Monday and missed the start of the camp on the same day.

Safa said the duo have entered the "bubble" ahead of the team's departure to Zimbabwe on Wednesday.

The association also announced that Njabulo Ngcobo has received a late call up, but he is not a replacement for anybody and has been asked to join the camp as a cautionary measure due to Mothobi Mvala's injury concerns.

“There is slight concern about Mvala, who has a groin strain which the medical team is working on,” said Bafana doctor Tshepo Molobi .

Siyanda Xulu is the other injury concern after suffering a knock while playing for his team Hapoel Tel Aviv two weeks ago.

“Stitches will be removed and he will be off the injury concerns list, but I will be monitoring him closely,” said Molobi.