The SA Football Association (Safa) is tonight holding an emergency meeting to discuss Bafana Bafana’s departure delay to Mexico after several players and members of the technical team were yet to receive visas from the US embassy.
Bafana were scheduled to depart for Mexico on Sunday on a chartered flight, but they remain grounded tonight.
Here are the five things you need to know about the latest embarrassing administrative blunder to hit Safa:
- Bafana held a send-off ceremony with one of their sponsors, Castle, on Saturday at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, where thousands of supporters attended the event in anticipation;
- Safa allegedly applied for visas just before the squad announcement last week Wednesday; hence, there is a delay in some of the players receiving them.
- Sport minister Gayton McKenzie has asked for a report and asked for action to be taken against those responsible for what he described as a “mess”.
- The department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) says they are trying to assist and are engaging the US embassy for the members to get their visas.
- Mamelodi Sundowns players, with the exception of Khulumani Ndamane, have their visas active after playing at the Fifa Club World Cup last year in the US.
Sowetan
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