By Dylan Bettencourt
- Parliament’s sports committee wants SAFA to account for the mistake that saw Teboho Mokoena play while suspended in a World Cup qualifier.
- Committee chair Joseph McGluwa says SAFA must face questions before December, warning the issue can’t just be swept under the rug.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been called to Parliament to explain how a suspension blunder almost cost Bafana Bafana their World Cup spot.
This comes after midfielder Teboho Mokoena was fielded in a qualifier against Lesotho – even though he was suspended after picking up yellow cards in earlier matches against Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Fifa punished South Africa by docking three points, a move that briefly put their 2026 World Cup qualification in danger.
Although Bafana still managed to qualify, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture says the mistake cannot go unaddressed.
Committee chair Joseph McGluwa told Radio 2000’s Thabiso Mosia that SAFA must appear before the committee, even if it’s via Zoom, before December.
“SAFA must come because they cannot just get off the hook,” McGluwa said. “What if we had lost that game? Then what would have happened? They must give us answers.”
The committee wants a full explanation of how the error happened and what steps will be taken to prevent it from happening again.
Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka has been blamed for the mix-up, with some calling for him to resign. Former SAFA president Danny Jordaan, however, has said the matter is closed.
But Parliament disagrees – and SAFA will have to answer tough questions before the year ends.
Pictured above: Danny Jordaan.
Image source: File
