SAFA president Danny Jordaan addressing the crowd during the Bafana Bafana send-off ceremony with coach Hugo Broos and players Nkosinathi Sibisi, captain Ronwen Williams and Themba Zwane in attendance.
Image: Mihlali Baleka
SOUTH Africa's football association plunged the country's World Cup preparations into chaos after an administrative blunder left Bafana Bafana stranded in Johannesburg on Sunday, unable to depart for Mexico.
But an irate Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has, hours later, confirmed that Bafana Bafana will travel to the United States on Monday.
The team was due to depart from OR Tambo International Airport on a chartered flight to Mexico to represent South Africa at the FIFA World Cup early on Sunday morning; however, the departure was postponed after several players had not been issued with visas, allegedly due to an administrative mix-up.
"All Bafana players received their visas to travel to the USA, outstanding are the assistant coach, team doctor, head of security and one analyst. The charter will leave (today)," McKenzie shared in a post on Facebook.
The squad was scheduled to board a chartered flight from OR Tambo International Airport in the early hours of Sunday morning for a training camp in Mexico, but the departure was scrapped after visas for at least 20 players and officials had not been processed.
The South African Football Association confirmed the debacle in a statement, saying the team had "experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials" and could therefore "not travel to North America this morning as originally planned."
SAFA said it was "working around the clock" to resolve the matter and that an emergency committee meeting would be convened on Sunday evening. In the meantime, the squad would continue training in Johannesburg.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie did not mince his words. He demanded a full explanation from SAFA and warned that those responsible would face consequences.
"The travel and visa debacle is embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff," McKenzie posted on X. "We are being made to look like fools."
The timing could hardly be worse. Head coach Hugo Broos had specifically earmarked Pachuca, situated at 2,300 metres above sea level, as the team's base camp, with altitude acclimatisation central to his preparation strategy. Every day lost in Johannesburg cuts into that window.
Bafana are also scheduled to face Jamaica in a warm-up match on June 5, now on Mexican soil rather than home turf, and must be match-sharp for their Group A opener against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on June 11.
According to state broadcaster SABC, at least 20 squad members were still awaiting clearance from the United States embassy in Johannesburg. Reports indicated Broos was among the few, if not the only, members of the travelling party to have obtained his visa.
The chaos has reignited scrutiny of SAFA's administration. Fingers are already pointing at team manager Vincent Tseka, who was previously implicated in the handling of Teboho Mokoena's eligibility blunder during World Cup qualifying, a mismanagement that cost Bafana three points from their victory over Lesotho.
South Africa qualified for the tournament, their first since hosting it in 2010, by finishing top of their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria, Benin, Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
SAFA was not immediately available for comment.