Bafana Bafana defender Siyabonga Ngezana will be out until the end of October due to an injury.

Ngezana is set to miss South Africa’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo this month due to a muscle strain that has forced him out for one month now.

His Romanian FCSB confirmed the injury last month, saying Ngezana will be out for one month, which effectively ruled him out of the two matches against Congo, starting with the home clash on October 11, as well as the return leg away four days later.

Now, it is emerging that he will have an extended spell on the sidelines and could be available earliest in November when Bafana Bafana next play.

Who has replaced Ngezana in the Bafana squad?

Ngezana has not featured for the club since returning from international duty in September as he was named on the bench in their 2-2 draw with CFR Cluj on September 15. He was, however, missing from the squad in their subsequent five games, two in the league and three in the Europe League.

The defender has been a crucial player for FCSB since joining them from Kaizer Chiefs and began this season with a Romanian Super Cup victory before he played a key role as they qualified for the Europa League group stages.

In his absence, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos called up Orlando Pirates defender Thabiso Sesane as he plans for life without Ngezana for the two matches after he had started him at the heart of defence in their last four games against Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda and South Sudan.