Bafana Bafana eliminated defending champions Nigeria while perennial tournament favourites Egypt also crashed out of the tournament after failing to see of Tunisia, Senegal and Botswana in qualifying.
Ghana and Cameroon will pose the biggest threat to Shakes Mashaba's side in Equatorial Guinea as both African giants go in search of their fifth AFCON title.
South Africa will have to keep an eye on the likes of the ever-progressing Algeria, the unpredictable Zambian side while Mali, Senegal and Tunisia all boast several stars in their lineups.
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Equatorial Guinea from January 17 to February 8.
Here is how the 16 AFCON 2015 qualifiers will head into the 2015 edition of AFCON:
Algeria
How they qualified: Group B
winners
Appearance at AFCON: 16th
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1990)
Burkina Faso
How they qualified: Group C runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 10th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Runners-up (2013)
Cameroon
How they qualified: Group D winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 17th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2010
Best result: Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002)
Cape Verde
How they qualified: Group F winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 2nd
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Quarter-finals (2013)
Congo
How they qualified: Group A runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 7th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2000
Best result: Winners (1972)
DR Congo
How they qualified: Best third placed team
Appearance
at AFCON: 17th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1968, 1974)
Equatorial Guinea
How they qualified: Hosts
Appearance
at AFCON: 2nd
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Quarter-finals (2012)
Gabon
How they qualified: Group C winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 6th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Quarter-finals (1996, 2012)
Ghana
How they qualified: Group E winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 20th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
Guinea
How they qualified: Group E runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 11th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Runners-up (1976)
Ivory Coast
How they qualified: Group D runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 21st
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1992)
Mali
How they qualified: Group B runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 9th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Runners-up (1972)
Senegal
How they qualified: Group G runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 13th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Runners-up (2002)
South Africa
How they qualified: Group A winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 9th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1996)
Tunisia
How they qualified: Group G winners
Appearance
at AFCON: 17th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (2004)
Zambia
How they qualified: Group F runners-up
Appearance
at AFCON: 17th
Last
appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (2012)