Radebe's back, but Fish still out of water
One of "Madiba's Boys" returns to the Bafana Bafana fray following an absence of almost six months, while the other is conspicuous by his absence in the squad to face Sweden in an international friendly next Wednesday.
Mark Fish, who co-wrote the book Mabida's Boys with Lucas Radebe, has been left out of the trip to Oslo after missing a couple of Bafana Bafana's World Cup qualifying fixtures because of club commitments at Charlton Athletic.
Fish made himself available after cementing his place at Charlton, but time seems to be running out for him to win a place in the final squad of 22 that will represent the country at the World Cup finals in Korea and Japan next year.
Radebe makes a return to national duty after having been inactive since January because of a knee operation that also contributed to his loss of the captain's armband at his English Premier club Leeds United.
Rio Ferdinand, the most expensive defender in British football, has been officially appointed Leeds United captain but with far fewer responsibilities, and this could open the way for Radebe to avail himself more frequently for national duty.
Although Shaun Bartlett, Shoes Moshoeu and even Andre Arendse have filled in satisfactorily for Radebe in his absence, national coach Carlos Queiroz and his deputies Trott Moloto and Steve Komphela are likely to restore the armband to the Leeds United man.
Queiroz hinted that a final decision regarding the announcement of the player who will captain the team leading up to the World Cup finals next year will be made on Thursday, but it looks like a forgone conclusion that Radebe will retain the captaincy.
Making his return to the Bafana Bafana set-up is "Viking" Eric Tinkler, who last played when South Africa defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in that abandoned World Cup qualifier in Harare when 13 people died during a stampede when police fired teargas into the crowd.
This is, let it be emphasised, not necessarily the same squad that will fly out to the Far East for the World Cup. But there is a distinct impression that Queiroz and Moloto will settle more or less on the same players for the Mundial - perhaps with a few minor changes.
Andrew Rabutla, a tough and fearless defender with Jomo Cosmos, has come on in leaps and bounds in recent months and it is a credit to his commitment, hard work and determined approach to the game that he is now becoming a permanent fixture in the senior squad.
Rabutla is the kind of player you need around as a man-marker even though he has weaknesses and can be sometimes turned around by a quick forward. But when he sticks to his man, he makes that man very uncomfortable.
The local-based players will leave for Sweden on Sunday and will meet their overseas team-mates on Monday.
The squad
Goalkeepers: Andre Arendse (Santos), Hans Vonk (Heerenveen)
Defenders: Lucas Radebe (Leeds United), Bradley Carnell (Stuttgart), Jacob Lekgetho (Lokomotiv Moscow), Pierre Issa (Olympique Marseille), Andrew Rabutla (Jomo Cosmos), Frank Schoeman (Lyngby)
Midfielders: Sibusiso Zuma (Copenhagen), Delron Buckley (Bochum), Dumisa Ngobe (Ankaragucu), John "Shoes" Moshoeu (Bursaspor), Quinton Fortune (Manchester United), Eric Tinkler (Barnsley)
Strikers: Benni McCarthy (Celta Vigo), Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic), Phil Masinga (Coventry City), Bradley August (Lyngby), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese)