I was angry at Mashaba, says Mokotjo

26 March 2017 - 02:00 By BARENG-BATHO KORTJAAS
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Bafana Bafana and FC Twente midfield player Kamohelo Mokotjo during the national team training session in Durban this week.
Bafana Bafana and FC Twente midfield player Kamohelo Mokotjo during the national team training session in Durban this week.
Image: GALLO IMAGES

Midfielder pledges patriotism to South Africa and reaffirms commitment to Bafana Bafana

In his bid to regain his status as a South African citizen, Kamohelo Mokotjo informed Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba that he acted in anger against former Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba when he took up Dutch citizenship.

By becoming a Dutchman in December, Mokotjo, who plays for FC Twente in the Eredivisie in that country, automatically renounced his South African citizenship.

The Sunday Times understands that in his motivation to Gigaba for the resumption of his standing as a South African — which was granted on Friday — the midfielder pleaded ignorance that he had to inform South African authorities of his decision and apply for retention of his citizenship.

In arriving at his decision, Mokotjo opted for a less benign way of dealing with his frustration with Mashaba who was fired by the SA Football Association in December.

The 26-year-old hogged the headlines the entire week as confusion reigned on whether he was still eligible to play for Bafana Bafana.

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An official close to the situation said "the boy said he acted in anger at the former coach Mashaba, who deprived him game time whenever he selected the player.

"He was just being childish and was not properly managed. In his haste he overreacted.

"His agent should have advised him not to overreact and punish the country. When the coach goes, the country remains.

"Because Mokotjo didn't apply for retention, he had to reapply for South African citizenship.

"His motivation was that 'I did not know. I love my country, I have always wanted to represent South Africa at the highest level'."

Another insider told the Sunday Times that "this situation was dealt with on an emergency basis" in order to enable the player to be available for selection for the match against Guinea-Bissau yesterday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

The midfield star player, who made his debut for Bafana in a 2-0 victory against Mozambique in Mbombela in 2012, was drafted in the starting XI by caretaker coach Owen da Gama to earn his seventh cap for the senior men's national side.

Gigaba got Mokotjo's data and took him at his word, was satisfied with the motivation and granted permission for resumption of his citizenship.

Officials at the department of home affairs, including the director-general, his deputy and the minister's special advisers were all involved in expediting the process.

Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said Mokotjo's decision to take Dutch citizenship was "a permanent decision to a short-term problem. But at least it is not irreparable within the law".

Mokotjo acquired Dutch citizenship in December 2016 and automatically lost his South African citizenship.

According to the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (Act No. 88 of 1995), a South African shall cease to be a citizen if "he or she, whilst not being a minor, by some voluntary and formal act other than marriage, acquires the citizenship or nationality of a country other than the Republic".

Speaking to the Mail and Guardian on Friday, Safa president Danny Jordaan said: "He was born here and has already played for South Africa, so why create confusion where there is none? I think he took Dutch citizenship to enable him to move easily across Europe for employment purposes and nothing more.

"Many South Africans never saw him in the Premier Soccer League as he only played one game for SuperSport United."

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WHO IS KAMOHELO MOKOTJO:

Back in 2003, a bunch of fresh-faced South Africans invaded the French territory with the view to conquer.

They were in France as one of the countries contesting the Danone Under-12 World Cup crown. Their captain was awarded the best player of the tournament accolade.

One of his goal celebrations linger in the mind — he ran in the direction of football god Zinedine "Zizou" Zidane, who was the ambassador for the games.

The now Real Madrid manager knelt on one knee. The scorer rested his foot on the other for Zizou to pretend to be shining the youngster's boot. The boy was in paradise in Paris.

That 12-year-old was Kamohelo Mokotjo, now a 26-year-old who dons jersey No22 for FC Twente, the Dutch Eredivisie that deploys him in a defensive midfield position.

This is his ninth year playing professional football in Holland after he was snapped from SuperSport United by Feyenoord in 2009.

When he returned to Feyenoord, he was also used at right-back. He was shipped out on loan to SBV Excelsior in the lower division and helped the team to gain promotion back to the top flight.

He has gained acclaim as one of the best passers of the ball in the league. He also played for PEC Zwolle from whom FC Twente signed in 2014.

In 2011, he told the Sunday Times that "I want to play all the matches for my country but sometimes the situation does not allow me to". Apart from being the last man standing from the youngsters he captained to World Cup victory 14 years ago, he went on to play for the under-17, under-20 and under-23 junior national teams.

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