Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi has confirmed he has apologized to the Confederation of African Football over comments he made about Simba SC.
Pirates and the Tanzanian giants clashed in the Caf Confederation Cup quarter-finals, and when the Sea Robbers were hosted and lost at Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on April 18, Ncikazi hit out at their opponents and claimed his side were treated like animals.
"I think Caf understood what was in the letter of my response [to Caf] - that, one, I apologise to Caf. Maybe the utterances were made on the wrong platform, we could have channelled the utterances differently," Ncikazi said, as per Sowetan Live.
"The platform I used wasn’t the correct one - that was my apology. But for the other incidents that really take place in Africa, there is no apology for that.
"But for what I said and the platform and the way I said that, for that I apologise."
The South African tactician did not spare Wekundu wa Msimbazi for how he claimed they were receiced in East Africa.
"We saw inhumane treatment everywhere we go. We were treated so badly, but this is a game of sports that should unite us. But what you get here are hostility and abuse," he said then.
"Why do Africans do this to other Africans? Do you really think the hostility that we get when we come here when Simba come to South Africa should we treat them that way.
"The treatment that we got from the stadium to the hotel, from the airport – why do you do this as Africans to other Africans, are we going to improve the football in the continent?"
Bucs fought back in the second leg and secured their passage to the semi-finals through post-match penalties. They faced Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli in the penultimate stage and saw them off to book a final ticket against RS Berkane of Morocco.
The Soweto giants were, however, unable to lay their hands on the continental trophy after they were defeated in Uyo, Nigeria on May 20.
After a one-all draw, the Moroccan side emerged 5-4 victors in the penalty shoot to win the cup.
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