By Saul Molobi
On 19 March 2026, football lovers, historians and public leaders will gather at the historic Freedom Park for the official launch of Ndizani Bafana Bafana (1992–2026): The Comeback Story of a Nation. The event marks the release of an expanded second edition of a book that captures one of the most compelling sporting journeys in modern South African history.
Authored by football historian Sello Lediga, the publication traces more than three decades of the rise, fall and resurgence of the national football team, Bafana Bafana. From South Africa’s triumphant return to international football in 1992 following the end of sporting isolation, to the African glory of 1996, the heartbreaks of the following decades and the renewed optimism under Belgian coach Hugo Broos, the book offers a comprehensive account of how football has mirrored the broader journey of a democratic South Africa.
The launch programme will bring together prominent voices from sport, government and football administration. The evening will feature a virtual address by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, whose remarks are expected to highlight the power of sport in building national pride and unity.
Delivering the keynote address will be pioneering football administrator Ria Ledwaba, one of the most influential figures in the development of the game in South Africa and the first black woman to serve as Vice-President of the South African Football Association. Her reflections will bring an important historical perspective to the evening, particularly on the transformation and growth of football administration in the country.
The programme will also include a special presentation by Bafana Bafana head coach Broos, widely credited with restoring the team’s competitive spirit and guiding South Africa back to continental respectability. Under his leadership, Bafana Bafana rediscovered discipline and belief, culminating in strong performances on the African stage and renewed confidence among supporters.
The author behind the chronicle
At the centre of this historic publication is Lediga, a scholar and football thinker whose work reflects a lifelong fascination with the social and cultural significance of the game.
Lediga has built a reputation as a meticulous chronicler of South African football history, combining academic rigour with the storytelling instincts of a seasoned observer of the game. Over the years, he has distinguished himself as a writer committed to documenting African sporting narratives that might otherwise be lost to memory. His work is animated by the belief that sport is not merely entertainment but an important archive of national identity.
In Ndizani Bafana Bafana, Lediga examines how the national team’s fortunes have been closely intertwined with the country’s political and social transformation. The early years of democracy saw Bafana Bafana emerge as a symbol of unity and pride, capturing the imagination of a nation eager to reclaim its place in the global sporting community. Yet the team’s subsequent decline revealed deeper structural challenges within the football ecosystem. By documenting both triumphs and setbacks, Lediga offers readers a balanced and honest narrative of the national team’s evolution.
His approach has earned praise from respected voices in South African sport. Veteran journalist Thomas Kwenaite describes the book as a timely chronicle of the national team’s revival:
“With Bafana Bafana defying heavy odds to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Sello Lediga has chronicled their journey from the depths of despair to their triumphant return to the world’s greatest football fiesta. Ndizani Bafana Bafana is a timely offering at a time when a nation that had invested its emotions in its favourite team has been given a reason to smile and celebrate.”
Former footballer and coach Makgopa Harris Choeu similarly regards the book as an essential historical resource:
“This new book is the most comprehensive chronicle of the history of South Africa’s senior national football team… a fitting tribute to the three-decade turbulent story of Bafana Bafana.”
Government leaders have also welcomed the publication. Funani Jerry Maseko, MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo, praises the book for capturing the renewed momentum within the national team:
“The second edition… is a deserved accolade to the turnaround that Bafana Bafana have undergone in the last four years… under coach Hugo Broos our national team has become ‘a bunch of winners’ that we are all proud of.”
A book that mirrors a nation
What makes Ndizani Bafana Bafana particularly compelling is its central argument: that the story of the national team is inseparable from the story of the nation itself. Football has long served as a mirror of South Africa’s hopes, frustrations and resilience.
The choice of Freedom Park as the venue for the launch therefore carries profound symbolism. As a national heritage site dedicated to honouring the country’s journey to freedom, it provides an ideal setting for celebrating a book that situates football within the broader narrative of national identity.
When guests gather there on 19 March, they will not only celebrate the publication of an important sports history. They will also celebrate the enduring spirit of a team that continues to unite millions of South Africans behind a single rallying cry:
Ndizani Bafana Bafana — lift the flag high.
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Saul Molobi is the CEO of Brandhill Africa. He had the privilege to review this historic book’s manuscript from a nation brand perspective.