By Samkelo Biyela
Bafana Bafana stands on the verge of making history, poised to qualify for their first World Cup finals in 15 years. After years of criticism and being overshadowed by the successes of other national teams like the Springboks, they’ve fought hard to reclaim the support and pride of South Africans
However, it seems the South African Football Association (SAFA) is doing their utmost best to make the worst out of arguably the best Bafana Bafana era since the class of 1996.
It is evidently clear that talent alone can never be enough to make a successful national team, but a competent administration contributes a world of good. With SAFA’s administrative prowess, competence is as real as a unicorn.
SAFA’s latest botch
On Monday, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) communicated an official statement into the midfielder Tebogo Mokoena’s case. FFA sanctioned SAFA with a CFH 10 1000 fine and three points deduction for ineligibly fielding Mokoena in their World Cup qualifier against Lesotho in March.
Mokoena had received two yellow cards in Bafana’s previous two matches, leading to the Lesotho game, which, by FIFA law, calls for a one-match suspension. Essentially, Mokoena was indeed not eligible to feature in Bafana’s 2-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Lesotho in March.
According to the FIFA Disciplinary Code: “If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited. The default result is a 3-0 loss to the offender, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team.”
However, part one and two of the Protests section also states, “Protests must reach the Disciplinary Committee in writing via the FIFA Legal Portal, indicating the relevant grounds, within 24 hours of the end of the match in question. The 24-hour time limit cannot be extended.”
Essentially, LFA missed FIFA’s 24-hour rule for protesting with FIFA’s reaction after immense pressure from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Nigeria also competes in the same qualifying group (Group D), and Bafana losing three points is also in their best interests, even more than Lesotho, who now have nothing to lose.
Bafana now sits 2 nd on Group D with 14 points and is now at risk of losing their qualification chances. The number one spot has been assumed by Benin, who are also on 14 points with more goal difference. As things stand, Bafana Bafana’s fate for the 2026 World Cup could be dependent on the result of one silly mistake and an off-the-field figure.
Now, who is to blame if Bafana fails to qualify?
Although FIFA’s conviction of Bafana Bafana is somewhat in violation of their own rules and detrimental to the integrity of the game, we cannot ignore that SAFA was expected to be more responsible.
It is utterly disappointing for a football association that has stood for more than 30 years to still fail to maintain basic administrative procedures like checking player suspensions before a game. Perhaps much cannot be expected from an organisation that is constantly embroiled in scandals and essentially disintegrating from within since its inception.
Many have argued and engaged on the unfair comparisons in the performance of South Africa’s three biggest national teams in the Springboks, the Proteas and Bafana Bafana.
The current Bafana situation is evidence that we have never lacked in talent, but competence is what has put SAFA miles behind Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
Arguably Africa’s best women’s football team, Banyana Banyana, played their last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) under protest. Our girls fort in defence of their title while fighting other battles within their own association over unpaid salaries.
The SAFA president, Dr Danny Jordaan, has been nothing less than an exact reflection of the state of the organisation he has run for over 10 years. A simple Google search of his name prompts a pile of articles reporting corruption allegations dating as far back as one can remember.
Late last year, TimesLive reported on Jordaan’s fraud case about an alleged R1.3 million in misappropriated funds from SAFA resources. His case is due to proceed this December, after prosecutors reported over 64 gigabytes of new evidence to be unleashed.
One can assume that Bafana Bafana’s recent success has purely come from coach Hugo Broos and his players’ efforts, because effort is clearly the last thing that could come out of the infamous SAFA House.
And to the Bafana team manager, midfielder Bathusi Aubaas is suspended and therefore ineligible to play in your next World Cup Qualifier against Zimbabwe.
Samkelo Biyela is a student at Durban University of Technology, studying towards the Bachelor of Journalism Honours degree. The views in this opinion piece are expressed in his personal capacity.
