Former Bafana Bafana team manager Levy Ramajoe has weighed in on the points deduction suffered by South Africa from FIFA.

FIFA docked South Africa three points from their 2026 World Cup qualifier for playing midfielder Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho on March 21 when he was supposed to be suspended.

That complicated the arithmetic for Hugo Broos’ men in their World Cup qualification journey as they tumbled from top position with 17 points to second on the table with 14 points same, as Benin, who have a superior goal difference.

A lot has since been said, especially over who is responsible, and while team manager Vincent Tseka has been singled out for blame, some, including Broos, said the player also should shoulder some of the responsibility but Ramajoe says the blame lies elsewhere.

Team manager’s roles explained

“You [team manager] are like the accounting officer of the national team administratively. Firstly, you are responsible for the logistics, which include but are not limited to accommodation and transportation for players,” Ramajoe said on SoccerBeat.

“You are responsible for the call-up letters of all national team players and then you arrange domestic transportation for all players to join the camp, it can be a hotel in Johannesburg, wherever the team camps.

“Then to understand the tournament the players are being called for. The rules and regulations of this particular tournament.”

Ramajoe says South Africans are blaming the wrong person as the anomaly was an administrative error.

Hands off Mokoena, says ex-Bafana TM

“People have propagated wrong information in terms of who is responsible. If the team is away from South Africa and the CEO and technical director are not there, who is the head of delegation? It is the team manager,” he added.

“You are responsible to understand the rules and regulations of the tournament or the match that you are part of.”

The lawyer was categorical in his defence of Mokoena over the three-point deduction.

“As a player, what is the primary duty of Teboho Mokoena? It is to play football. What is the primary duty of the team manager or CEO? It would be unfair to say Mokoena must also take responsibility,” Ramajoe further said.