Erasmus, Motshwari, Makaringe in Bafana preliminary squad

South Africa coach Stuart Baxter has named his pre-Africa Cup of Nations training squad, including a return for Cape Town City forward Kermit Erasmus.

Erasmus won the last of his 14 caps almost two years ago, but is among six forwards selected to camp ahead of the tournament.

Others include Percy Tau, who remains an injury concern, and Netherlands-based Lars Veldwijk, who has netted 24 goals so far in the Dutch second-tier.

The defenders have a settled look about them, while midfielders Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly, both of who have missed a large portion of the French Ligue 1 season, have been included.

So have the Orlando Pirates duo of Thembinkosi Lorch and Ben Motshwari, as well as Pirates-bound Maritzburg United midfielder Fortune Makaringe.

Dolly has also been included in the squad for the Cosafa Cup as he seeks to get game-time ahead of the final selection.

The team will assemble on the weekend of 1 June and will camp in Johannesburg before leaving for the United Arab Emirates on 12 June.

They will play two friendlies there, one against Ghana and the other versus an unnamed North African opponent, before heading to Egypt on 16 June.

Bafana’s tournament opener is against Ivory Coast on 24 June.

SOUTH AFRICA TRAINING SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Darren Keet (Bidvest Wits), Rowen Williams (SuperSport United), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs).

Defenders: Daniel Cardoso, Ramahlwe Mphahlele (both Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thulani Hlatshwayo, Buhle Mkhwanazi, S’Fiso Hlanti (all BidVest Wits), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City).

Midfielders: Bongani Zungu (Amiens), Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda, Themba Zwane (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Dean Furman (SuperSport United), Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford, England), Thulani Serero (Vitesse, Netherlands), Thembinkosi Lorch, Ben Motshwari (both Orlando Pirates), Fortune Makaringe (Maritzburg United), Keagan Dolly (Montpellier, France)

Strikers: Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg, France), Percy Tau (Royal Union St Gilloise, Belgium), Lars Veldwijk (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Lebogang Maboe, Sibusiso Vilakazi (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City)

Passport Pending Players: Nikola Tavares (Crystal Palace, England), Joel Unteresee (FC Zurich, Switzerland).