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Gayton McKenzie and Danny JordaanBackpage
Khothatso Leballo

SAFA boss Danny Jordaan and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie butt heads over Teboho Mokoena yellow card saga despite Bafana Bafana booking 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket

The matter involving the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder threatened to block South Africa from qualifying for the global football competition. That left the player himself, SAFA and the team manager under sharp criticism for the way they handled the issue which almost put to waste the work done by Hugo Broos' side.

  • Teboho Mokoena, Mamelodi SundownsBackpage

    Qualifying for the World Cup against all odds

    Bafana Bafana defied FIFA sanctions to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after having three points docked from them.

    This was punishment for fielding a suspended Teboho Mokoena, who had been yellow-carded for the second time against Lesotho in March.

    But Bafana still managed to reclaim Group C and make it to the World Cup.

    However, while SAFA president Danny Jordaan says the Mokoena matter is now in the past, South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie insists heads should roll. 

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  • Hugo Broos and Danny JordaanBackpage

    Jordaan: 'Mokoena matter is closed'

    "We are going to the World Cup, so the matter is closed, we are not interested in the matter... We have qualified, we are not going to dwell on what is behind us," said Jordaan. 

    "What is in front us is the World Cup and AFCON. The coach must have told you that we are now focusing on the next one, the AFCON in Morocco and the World Cup." 

  • Gayton McKenzie, Sports MinisterBackpage

    'No matter is closed' - insists McKenzie.

    "Will be out before end of the day, we can’t leave this matter unattended, what have we learned from this? We are a country with rules and Brand SA got hurt tremendously by this blunder. No matter is closed, it’s opening now," McKenzie hit back on social media.

  • Gayton Mckenzie and Danny JordaanBackpage

    Jordaan-McKenzie clash could drag on

    Enduring most of the criticism is Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka who was largely blamed for failing to note that Mokoena was ineligible to play against Lesotho.

    If McKenzie insists on punishment while SAF resist, that could see a long-running feud between the two parties.

    Bafana fans hope it would not distract the team ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament and next year's World Cup.

  • Bafana Bafana, South AfricaBackpage

    What comes next?

    Bafana have now set their eyes on the AFCON finals where they will be bidding to be crowned African champions for the first time since 1996.

    It is to be seen where the boardroom battle between McKenzie and Jordaan will end.

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