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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

SOUTH Africa have named Belgian Hugo Broos as their new coach ahead of the Qatar World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign which begins with a date against Zimbabwe next month.

Broos, who won the 2017 AFCON title with Cameroon, was officially unveiled during a special Zoom conference hosted by the South Africa Football Association this afternoon.

The announcement ended weeks of speculation after several names, including Benni McCarthy, ex-Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Queiroz and Pitso Mosimane were thrown into the fray.

The 69-year-old Belgian will replace Molefi Ntseki, who was sacked recently after Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the reschedule 2021 AFCON finals set to be hosted by Cameroon early next year.

Ntseki, however, is expected to remain in the structures. South Africa will face Zimbabwe in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on June 6.

Broos has over three decades of coaching experience, mainly at club level in Africa, Europe and Middle East.

Apart from winning several silverware with clubs in Belgium, his major coaching highlight was winning the AFCON title with Cameroon four years ago.

The Bafana Bafana appointment is his second national team job.