Bafana Bafana defender Thulani Hlatshwayo has highlighted the importance of the upcoming home and away 2017 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers against Cameroon, this month.

South Africa face the Indomitable Lions in Limbe on Saturday before the reverse fixture in Durban at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, next Tuesday.

Shakes Mashaba's men are desperate for points having conjured but a single point from their opening two fixtures: drawing 0-0 against Gambia before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Mauritania in Nouakchott last September.

"We have to go there with a positive attitude and make sure we come back with three points and then make sure we win at home," said Hlatshwayo earlier this week."We have to win both games.

South Africa faced Cameroon in an international friendly match leading up to the 2015 African Cup of Nations with Sibusiso Vilakazi finding the back of the net after Vincent Aboubakar had smashed home a free-kick from the edge of the area.

Hlatshwayo believes this experience will stand them in good stead:

"We were the better side, they started with strong team and changed things up at half-time. We know what kind of players to look out for and obviously for us, we have to focus on ourselves and make sure we are on top and give 100 per cent performance on the day.

While Bafana Bafana have been found wanting when it counts most, an unbeaten run to the 2015 AFCON tournament coupled with favourable results against Costa Rica, Honduras and Angola late last year has convinced Hlatshwayo that the team is on the up.

"I think we have improved as a team, we know that we had a good run heading into AFCON last year and we want to get back to that form," said the Bidvest Wits defender.

"Yes last time we played them we were in form - yes we haven't been converting our chances, our performances and our defence has been good so if we score goals we will get back to winning ways.

"There is a positive vibe, we have the core of the team that qualified for AFCON, I think the confidence is good."

Bottom of Group M with four games remaining, Hlatshwayo and his teammates are under no illusion of whats at stake with successive wins a must for the 1996 AFCON champs.

"We need come back with points, I don't think as a team we will have stage fright," continued Hlatshwayo.