Many will be hoping to put their hand up for selection fort he 2026 World Cup and therefore form over the next four months will be crucial.
Here is a round-up of the situation for the major contenders.
Njabulo Blom (Nam Dinh, Vietnam): The season resumes after a one-month break on Thursday with a home game against Lion City Sailors from Singapore in the ASEAN Club Championship. Blom has yet to play for the club since his move from Kaizer Chiefs.
Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge, Belgium): The 20-year-old, who was at the Cup of Nations with Bafana Bafana, made his debut in the Belgian Cup in September and was used as a substitute in Azerbaijan last week in the Champions League.
Puso Dithejane (Chicago Fire, USA): Signed from TS Galaxy in recent weeks, Dithejane will need to make a quick impression on his new coach and teammates, having arrived late during their pre-season after completing all his visa paperwork.
Lyle Foster (Burnley, England): South Africa’s only player in the Premier League scored last weekend against Tottenham Hotspur. It was his third of the season but first since October when he netted against Wolves. He also scored against Manchester United in August.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Minnesota FC, USA): The pre-season has started for Minnesota, who have decamped to warmer California from the frigid north of the U.S and have another week of training before taking part in the Coachella Valley Invitational, where they play against three MLS teams ahead of the season’s start.
Samukele Kabini (Molde, Norway): Kabini’s club began their pre-season training in La Nucia, Spain last week, but he did not initially travel with the team, given time off after the Cup of Nations. The new Norwegian league season begins in mid-March.
Luke le Roux (Portsmouth, England): Le Roux was on the bench last weekend when Portsmouth drew with Southampton in the iconic south coast derby. Le Roux has started six matches for Pompey since his move from Sweden at the start of the season.
Thembinkosi Lorch (Al Ittihad, Libya): A transfer to Libya seems a strange move given Wydad Casablanca lead the Moroccan league and are competing in the group stage of the African Confederation Cup. Lorch came on as a substitute for Wydad on Sunday as they beat Maniema Union from DR Congo.
Siviwe Magididi (Beerschot, Belgium): The 20-year-old from Cape Town is off to play in the Belgian second division for his new Antwerp-based club and could make his debut on Sunday when they face up to Lierse.
Cassius Mailula (Kortrijk, Belgium): Since arriving on loan from Toronto, Mailula has not featured much in the Belgian second division and has not yet scored. He was on the bench last weekend as his side sits second in the league and chases promotion.
Olwethu Makhanya (Philadelphia Union, USA): There are moves afoot to get the former Stellenbosch centre back a transfer to Europe, and scouts were watching him last week as he played and scored for Union in a pre-season friendly in Marbella, Spain, against FC Nordsjaelland.
Mihali Mayambela (Aris Limassol, Cyprus): Mayambela scored his third goal of the season before Christmas as fourth-placed Aris looked to keep in touch with the leading pack in the chase for the title in Cyprus. They play a derby on Sunday with AEL, who beat them in the cup just over a week.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire, USA): The Bafana Bafana centre back is in Florida with his new team for pre-season training and will soon go with them to California for a pre-season tournament before the new league kicks off on February 21.
Elias Mokwana (Al Hazem, Saudi Arabia): Mokwana started this side’s last game, which was a 5-1 home loss, after coming off the bench in their two previous Saudi league outings. His side has a home game on Thursday against Al Shabab.
Siyabonga Ngezana (Steaua Bucharest, Romania): Since the Cup of Nations, Ngezana has played in two successive 4-1 losses for FCSB and should be back in action on Thursday when they host Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, needing to win if they are to advance in the Europa League.
Mohau Nkota (Al Ettifaq, Saudi Arabia): Nkota has already played in four Saudi league games since the Cup of Nations, including two away wins for his club, who sit in seventh place in the standings. On Wednesday, they are away against high-flying Al Ahli in Jeddah.
Ime Okon (Hannover 96, Germany): The winter break ends on Friday at Magdeburg with Hannover among the sides chasing promotion to the Bundesliga. Okon has started 10 of the 19 league games played this campaign and scored twice.
Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela, Portugal): Sithole was straight back to action after the Cup of Nations, but all three matches he has started since returning from Morocco have seen Tondela lose, and they now sit second from bottom in the standings.
Tylon Smith (Queens Park Rangers, England): Sold for R7 million by Stellenbosch to the London-based Championship club, the South African under-20 captain has played one League Cup match since his move but was on the bench for QPR’s last league game at the weekend.
Percy Tau (Nam Dinh, Vietnam): Tau has not scored since arriving in Vietnam from Qatar despite playing in 13 matches. He competed in December in the Asian Champions League to add to his past experience in the African Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly and in the UEFA Champions League with Club Brugge.
