Over the past few decades, the South African government has made substantial investments whose purpose has been both the alleviation of the persistent shortage of qualified mathematics teachers and the improvement of the quality of mathematics education. Despite these efforts, research remains limited on the specific factors shaping future teachers’ readiness to teach this subject, and on the effectiveness of the curricula supporting their training. This longitudinal study conducted over four years, from 2016 to 2019, seeks to address this gap by assessing the competencies and confidence levels of a sampled group of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programmes at Atlantic Cape University and Cape Highlands University. The focus of the study is the degree of success of these two programmes in their preparation of PSTs for mathematics instruction in diverse education contexts. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through questionnaires administered to both first- and fourth-year students, allowing for longitudinal comparisons and a deeper understanding of their educational experiences. While the findings highlight notable improvements in student confidence and teaching competencies over time, they also reveal critical gaps, particularly in areas such as problem-solving, mathematical communication, and the application of advanced skills. These insights point to areas where curriculum enhancements are needed, suggesting that targeted improvements could usefully strengthen teacher education programmes and improve mathematics outcomes in South African schools.