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Bafana not releasing stars

Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana will not be releasing any players from the 22-man squad, announced by coach Pitso Mosimane earlier in the week, for the international friendly against Tanzania on Saturday.

This means that Kaizer Chiefs' midfielders Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala as well as goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune will be travelling to Dar-es-Salaam on Thursday as planned.

"They (players) are here," said Bafana media officer Matlhomola Morake. "The three players are in squad and they will be travelling to Tanzania."

On Tuesday, Chiefs' football manager Bobby Motaung asked for the trio to return to the club to eliminate the risk of injury ahead of their final league match - a potential title decider - against AmaZulu next week.

While Ajax Cape Town asked in advance for their players not be selected, Motaung should have raised his concerns before making the players available to Mosimane for selection.

With the fixture not falling during a FIFA international week, the club had the right not to release players.

"We requested the SA Football Association to return players because we have an important match next week," Motaung said in a statement on the side's website.

"Ajax have been granted this request, we hope that SAFA will also be fair to us and release the players."

The experienced trio are the backbone of both Chiefs and Bafana and will play a key role in a relatively inexperienced squad this weekend with Tshabalala set to debut as captain.

Motaung could not be reached for comment on whether he had now withdrawn his call for the players to not travel with the national team.

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