Mosimane was unveiled in Johannesburg on Tuesday, ending a long-running saga in which he had initially failed to reach agreement with the South African Football Association over the terms of his contract and his support staff.
He replaced the Belgian Hugo Broos, who led the side to third place at the 2023 Cup of Nations and the round of 32 at the recent World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 62-year-old is arguably the country’s most accomplished coach with three CAF Champions League titles to his name and a record five Betway Premiership title wins with Mamelodi Sundowns.
He has a total of 20 trophies to his name following coaching spells with SuperSport United , Sundowns, Al Ahly of Egypt, Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli, Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates, Abha in Saudi and most recently Esteghlal in Iran.
He was also a national team player for South Africa, though his appearances were limited to four caps and had a successful playing career with Jomo Cosmos, Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Ionikos in Greece, among others.
Mosimane was first handed the reins of the national side on an interim basis in 2006 ahead of the arrival of Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira in the country. He was the placeholder in the dugout but took charge of some important matches.
He had seven games in charge, including a 1-0 win in Zambia in a crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that remains one of Bafana’s better away victories down the years.
He had three wins and three draws to go with a single defeat, a 1-0 loss to Egypt in a friendly played in neutral London.
Mosimane then continued his role as assistant coach of the side under Parreira and Joel Santana through the 2010 World Cup, before being elevated to the top job for a second time.
He had a further 16 matches in charge, including the ill-fated bid to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations, where a misreading of the rules meant the side played for a draw in a game they needed to win against Niger.
That episode is well documented and remains the low point of his managerial career. It did not lead to his immediate exit from the role, for the blame did not lie with him alone, but perhaps the writing was on the wall.
His side won six of those 16 games to go with seven draws and three defeats. It was not the losses that counted against him, but the draws. Five of his last six games in charge ended level, with a 1-1 draw against Ethiopia in a 2014 World Cup qualifier the final straw.
But there is no doubt that Mosimane is a more experienced and successful coach than he was in the 14 years that have passed since then.
In all he has been in charge of the national side for 23 games, winning nine to go with 10 draws and four defeats. His teams scored 17 goals conceded only eight.
His latest tenure starts with a home Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea on September 26. The side then travels to neutral Egypt to face Eritrea four days later.
They will play Benni McCarthy’s Kenya in home and away fixtures in November, and complete their campaign in Guinea and home to Eritrea in March next year.
Because Kenya are co-hosts and automatically qualify, only one other side from the pool will advance to the 24 team finals.