Bafana team manager off the hook as McKenzie eats humble pie over Mokoena saga

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has changed his stance over the Teboho Mokoena saga that saw Bafana Bafana docked three points by FIFA.

South Africa qualified for the 2026 World Cup but they nearly missed the tournament after an administrative error that saw Mokoena fielded in a match against Lesotho in March 2025 when he should have been suspended.

That saw Bafana Bafana deducted three points while SAFA was fined but while it pegged back Hugo Broos’ men, they did just enough to qualify for next year’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada albeit with help from Nigeria.

Even after qualification, McKenzie was among those who were categorical that those responsible must be punished with the name of Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka featuring prominently.

McKenzie singing different song over Mokoena blunder

The Sports Minister would demand for an explanation from SAFA and after receiving the report, he has changed tune.

“South Africans deserve answers and I had given SAFA seven days to give us answers to make sure this never happens again,” McKenzie said on Tuesday.

“SAFA has complied with my ask and has completed its investigation. They provided me with a very comprehensive investigation, and I can report today that we now have full clarity on what happened. The report confirms this was not an act of negligence or sabotage, but rather a strange, highly unusual set of coincidences.”

The reports exonerates Tseka from blame, saying he was not in the dugout when Mokoena was booked against Zimbabwe and that he is working under difficult circumstances given SAFA is understaffed.

What has the SAFA report said over the incident?

South Africa Sports Minister says SAFA is short-staffed and this was partly the cause of team manager Vincent Tseka missing the second yellow card issued to a Bafana Bafana player. Tseka, the team manager, had gone to collect ice when Teboho Mokoena was given a card. pic.twitter.com/sS4r4GkeZg

— AFCON 2025 (@DiskiAfrika) November 4, 2025

“The two yellow cards issued to Teboho Mokoena came 16 months apart, an almost unheard of gap. The team manager Vincent Tseka, who has taken responsibility for that oversight despite numerous excruciating circumstances, he was not present when the second card was issued as he had left the field to fetch ice for the players,” added McKenzie.

“That extraordinary coincidence tells us something deeper that our national team is operating under immense strain… despite the tremendous progress on the field and positive results, Bafana Bafana are still under-resourced.”

It appears to be the end of the matter that has dominated headlines since FIFA struck in September with Tseka set to escape punishment as SAFA boss Danny Jordaan had initially said that the case was closed when Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup.