Sasol Banyana Banyana defenders Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Dhlamini are set for major career milestones when they face Algeria in the first of two international friendly matches, at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, Durban, on Tuesday, 14 April, 2026.
Mbane will be making her 100th appearance for country while Dhlamini will clock up half a century of caps. South Africa will take on the North Africans on Tuesday, 14 April. The teams will contest a second friendly three days later, on Friday, 17 April, at the King Zwelithini Stadium. Both games kickoff at 3pm.
Known to her peers as Juice, Mbane joins an esteemed group of Sasol Banyana Banyana and will become the 12th player to reach this milestone.
The Eastern Cape-born Mbane made her national team debut as a substitute in 2016 in the second leg of CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Botswana at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa. South Africa won the game 3-0.
Three years later (19 January 2019), Dhlamini would don her first South African Senior Women’s National team jersey at the Cape Town Stadium in a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands – she was only 17.
Since then, both have never looked back.
“Bambanani has been immense for the team, there’s a period where she went through injuries and would probably have reached the milestone sooner, but she’s been ever present in our defence, someone you can rely on and we saw that at the WAFCON.
Sasol Banyana Banyana Head Coach, Dr Desiree Ellis
“With Karabo, people thought I was mad when I took her to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup straight from the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup as a 17 year old turning 18 but where would she be now if we did not do that because we needed to also make sure that it wasn’t just about that World Cup but was about getting someone to go forward,” said Ellis.
“So, it’s well deserved for both of them because of the efforts that they’ve put in and they’ve never ever really disappointed. They have been players that you can count on but also for the younger players to look up to because they’ve been ultimate professionals.”
Team captain and fellow centurion, Refiloe Jane, has also showered her teammates with praises.
“For Bambanani who is going to reach her 100th cap and Karabo who is going into her 50th, it shows the consistency, the discipline, the hard work that they’ve been putting behind the scenes within the team.”
Banyana Banyana Captain, Refiloe Jane
“And it’s a motivation to other players also to say if one player can reach such a century it means it’s possible, so one needs to go and get guidelines and get what motivated them, what worked for them for them to be able to reach where they are,” said Jane. “We are really happy for them, we can’t wait to celebrate it with them, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Both Mbane and Dlamini were part of the gold-winning Sasol Banyana Banyana squad at the 2022 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. They also featured at the two FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments in France (2019) as well as Australia and New Zealand (2023).
Banyana Banyana Players with 100 Caps
Janine van Wyk (Retired): 185 caps
Noko Matlou (Retired): 174
Nompumelelo Nyandeni (Retired): 150
Refiloe Jane: 146
Nothando Vilakazi: 137
Portia Modise (Retired): 124
Mamello Makhabane: 121
Lebohang Ramalepe: 118
Jermaine Seoposenwe (Retired): 112
Amanda Dlamini (Retired): 105
Leandra Smeda: 100
Banyana Banyana International Friendlies Fixturess List
Tue, 14 April, 15h00: South Africa vs Algeria (Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal)
Fri, 17 April, 15h00: South Africa vs Algeria (King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal)
Sat, 6 June 2026 – Japan vs South Africa at Nagai Ballgame Field, in Osaka, Japan
Tue, 9 June 2026 – Japan vs South Africa, at J-Green Sakai, in Osaka, Japan
24-Player Banyana Banyana Squad for the Algeria Camp
Goalkeepers
Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Kaylin Swart (JVW FC)
Katlego Moletsane (University of Fort Hare FC)
Defenders
Sinegugu Zondi (University of the Western Cape)
Fikile Magama (University of the Western Cape)
Bambanani Mbane (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Antonia Maponya (University of the Western Cape)
Shakira O’Malley (University of the Western Cape)
Karabo Dhlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Lonathemba Mhlongo (University of the Western Cape)
Khutso Pila (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Midfielders
Linda Motlhalo (Glasgow City, Scotland)
Lebohang Ramalepe (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Refiloe Jane (TS Galaxy FC)
Noxolo Cesane (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Amogelang Motau (Club Tijuana, Mexico)
Nonhlanhla Mthandi (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Forwards
Thorisho Mphelo (JVW FC)
Nthabiseng Majiya (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Hildah Magaia (Deportivo de la Coruña, Spain)
Bonolo Mokoma (JVW FC)
Nicole Michael (TS Galaxy FC)
Wendy Shongwe (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado (JVW FC)
Main Photo Caption: The senior South African women’s squad is pictured with KZN MEC Sport, Arts & Culture in KZN, Mntomuhle Khawula. Sasol Banyana Banyana defenders Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Dhlamini are set for major career milestones, when they face Algeria in the first of two international friendly matches in Durban, on Tuesday, 14 April, 2026. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Since Mbane’s national team debut in 2016, the Eastern Cape-born defender will become the 12th player to reach this distinguished milestone.
Photo 3 Caption: Captain Refiloe Jane congraulates Mbane and Dhlamini for the fruits of the consistency, discipline and hard work that they’ve put in behind the scenes.
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