Furious Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos blasts Orlando Pirates’ departing double cup winner Mbekezeli Mbokazi for ‘unprofessional attitude’, slamming his ‘star’ behaviour

The South African national team are currently holding an intensive and highly focused training camp at the High-Performance Centre in Pretoria as they fine-tune their preparations ahead of next week’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.  

The camp has provided the squad with an opportunity to flesh out tactics, build team chemistry and address key areas that will be crucial for success on the continent’s biggest stage. 

As part of these preparations, Bafana Bafana are scheduled to host Ghana’s CHAN team in a warm-up friendly match on Tuesday, December 16, giving the players a valuable chance to test themselves against quality opposition before traveling to Morocco the following day. While all players were expected to report to camp earlier this week, Orlando Pirates defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi arrived late after missing his flight from Durban to Gauteng. His delayed arrival has caused frustration for national team head coach Hugo Broos, who did not hold back in voicing his dissatisfaction with the situation, underscoring the importance of discipline and punctuality as the team readies itself for one of the most important tournaments on the African football calendar.

“Mbokazi, he just arrived or will arrive in 15 minutes,” Broos told the media at the Bafana camp. 

“I didn’t want to talk about it, but you asked the question, and you have the right to know that I’m not pleased about it. He let us know that he missed his flight yesterday in Durban, it was the coach of Pirates who informed me. And he was very angry that he missed his flight because, and that’s his word, ‘it’s an unprofessional attitude’.

“And I think I spoke already to you about unprofessional attitude of South African players. Again, an example of it. Then Pirates sent me a message with nonsense – really nonsense, why he missed his flight and I will not tell you what they said – and that is the worst thing that a club protects the player of his unprofessional attitude,” he continued.

“This is South Africa, and this is very bad – very, very bad. When you’re a 19-year-old guy and you receive a call-up from the national team for AFCON, and to play World Cup next year, and the coach gives you a few more days off, if you are somebody with a good attitude, you don’t even want those two days and you are here on Monday with the other players.

“So, I will have a chat with him after training. And I can assure you he is a black guy, and he will get out of my room as a white guy. Because that I can’t accept. But I know why, I know why. Suddenly Mboki is a star – he thinks he is a star!

“This is the attitude of a star, ‘I will decide when I come’. I will explain it to him. I’m very angry, very angry about his attitude,” he concluded.

Despite facing scrutiny for his latest actions, Mbokazi has been enjoying a remarkable rise in South African football, showcasing leadership qualities well beyond his years at the Buccaneers. 

In his young but already decorated career, he has played a pivotal role in securing both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup titles for the club, cementing his reputation as a key figure in the team’s successes. His consistent and impressive performances did not go unnoticed, culminating in a move to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, a remarkable achievement considering he only made his senior debut for Pirates in March 2025.  

With Mbokazi finally joining his national teammates in training, he will have to make amends as Broos prepares to have an honest conversation with him. Once that matter is addressed, the squad can focus fully on the task ahead, beginning with their final warm-up match against four-time African champions Ghana on December 16, before departing for Morocco the following day.   

In Morocco, Bafana Bafana will continue fine-tuning their preparations ahead of their Group B opener against Angola on Monday, December 22. Just four days later, on December 26, they face tournament giants Egypt, one of Africa’s most decorated sides. The group stage will then conclude with a crucial clash against Zimbabwe on December 29, which could prove decisive for their progression.