Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has urged the South African Football Association (SAFA) to take responsibility for the yellow card saga.
The matter relates to Bafana Bafana being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The blunder cost Bafana Bafana three points after FIFA awarded Lesotho a 3-0 win and fined SAFA R216 000 while cautioning Mokoena.
Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka is at the centre of a storm as it is believed he is the one who failed to do his job.
On the positive side, Bafana Bafana still managed to qualify by finishing first in Group C, and on Thursday, SAFA president Danny Jordaan claimed the matter was closed.
Mckenzie, however, has demanded answers and given SAFA seven days to respond.
“I am writing to you in my capacity as the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture to formally request a detailed report from the South African Football Association regarding the circumstances that led to Bafana Bafana being stripped of their (2-0) victory against Lesotho in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” McKenzie said in a statement.
“As you are aware, FIFA’s decision to deduct three points from South Africa stemmed from the fielding of an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena.
“This incident not only jeopardised our national team’s qualification prospects. It has also raised significant concerns about administrative oversights within SAFA.
“I acknowledge the recent statements to me from the SAFA president [Jordaan] indicating that the matter has been dealt with and the association has chosen to move forward without dwelling on the issue,” McKenzie continued.
“However, it is imperative that we prioritise transparency and accountability. Particularly in light of the public’s valued interest in our national team’s performance. The fans deserve full reassurance that the appropriate measures have been taken. Including through accountability processes, consequences management for those responsible, and implementation of robust remedial actions to prevent such a grave error from recurring in the future,” he added.
“I kindly request that the report include a complete timeline of events, an explanation of how the error occurred, details of any internal investigations conducted, and actions taken against responsible parties.
“Please submit this report to my office within seven days of receiving this letter,” added McKenzie.
At this point, it’s important to note that world football governing body FIFA strictly prohibits government interference in its member associations. With this in mind, Mckenzie has assured FIFA that the government has no intention to interfere in SAFA matters.
“Please be assured that it’s not my intention, nor that of my department, to interfere in the administration of football, which we recognise as the sole purview of FIFA and SAFA. However, as a nation, we are deeply committed to upholding the integrity of the game and maintaining South Africa’s reputation on the global stage,” stated Mckenzie in a separate letter to FIFA.
