By Patrice Citera BBC Sport, Kinshasa

Monaco's Shabani Nonda is tipped to return for the DR Congo

DR Congo coach Claude Leroy believes that Monaco striker Shabani Nonda will play for the Simbas against South Africa.

Leroy says he has met Nonda to persuade him to return for the 5 September clash with Bafana Bafana.

The 27-year-old has in the past made himself unavailable after criticising the running of DR Congo's football association, Fecofa.

"I've spent some time with Nonda and I can assure you that his childhood dream has always been to win one day the African Cup of Nations with the DR Congo," Leroy said.

"Nonda has told me he won't be happy until he has achieved that.

"He'll play for us against South Africa," Leroy told BBC Sport.

Nonda refused to play last July before a 2006 World Cup qualifying game with Burkina Faso saying that he was unhappy with Fecofa and he also called for the appointment of a foreign coach.

He also missed the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia through injury.

Claude Leroy has spent his holiday touring Europe trying to meet as many Congolese players as possible who do not currently play for the DR Congo.

"I've been across Europe meeting players and they all seem concerned and eager that the Simbas are successful.

"It's good because we'll need all players to play together to beat South Africa," Leroy said.

The DR Congo are yet to beat South Africa since their return to international football after the apartheid years.