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May Mahlangu banned from playing for South Africa after asking to be rested

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has vowed to never again select May Mahlangu for its national team after he asked to be excused from a training camp because of fatigue.

Mahlangu, 25, failed to join the South Africa squad this week ahead of their final two African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan and Nigeria.

Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Mashaba said the IFK Goteborg midfielder sent an email explaining that he had played a lot of games recently and so needed a rest.

However, the SAFA has decided to ban Mahlangu from future South Africa squads as a result, with chief executive Dennis Mumble saying "we will not tolerate an individual who does not take national call-ups seriously."

South Africa need just one win from their two remaining games to ensure qualification for the 2015 African Cup of Nations, which is currently without a host after Morocco pulled out because of fears over the spread of Ebola.