Stuart Baxter has played down and even denied the alleged “ringleader” role of midfielder Bongani Zungu in a group of Bafana Bafana players’ hard partying after a World Cup qualifying defeat in Durban.
Baxter said on Wednesday he would deal with the players in question – named in reports as Zungu‚ Keagan Dolly‚ Andile Jali and Tebogo Langerman – “in-house”.
However‚ the coach defended Zungu‚ who was said to be the alleged ringleader in the incident that followed a devastating 2-1 home defeat against Cape Verde on September 5‚ four days after Bafana crashed against the same team by the same scoreline in Praia.
Baxter promised to bring the offending players in line.
“What I’m going to say is that I’m going to need help with that‚” the coach added.
“And what does not help is people making up stories that are hugely inaccurate‚ hugely inflated‚ and missing the mark completely.
“That doesn’t help the country‚ it doesn’t help me‚ trying to make the national team a more focused unit.
“So I’m going to protect one player‚ because it was totally inaccurate to name Bongani Zungu as the ringleader.
“On a scale of nought to ten‚ Bongani was involved in a two or three. And there were others who were pretty much more.
“So I will take care of that – Bongani I’ve already taken care of.
“But you have to understand – his club are contemplating massive fines.
"They are hugely unhappy reading about their player as a ringleader when he’s not.”
Baxter seemed at pains to protect Zungu from censure from his new club in France‚ Amiens SC.
Zungu also almost landed himself in hot water a year ago‚ when‚ soon after joining Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal‚ a nude video of what appeared to the former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder fondling himself in a shower went viral.
The past weekend’s report alleged that the Bafana players’ party into the early hours of the morning after the game in Durban in the team hotel‚ Umhlanga Garden Court‚ involved booze and women and took place in Zungu’s room.
It alleged that‚ according to a quoted source‚ in the morning the team bus left Zungu behind “still sleeping with his girls”.
Baxter was asked how such alleged behaviour reflected on the players’ commitment‚ especially since it was the coach who took most of the flak for the costly defeats that have crippled SA’s Russia 2018 chances.
“I don’t mind taking flak‚ honestly. I’ve taken flak since I was 15 – I’ve got broad shoulders.
"When you’re in this game‚ you have to‚” the coach said.
“To say that I’ve treated Bongani Zungu lightly is like saying‚ ‘Well‚ that serial rapist got 25 years‚ and that guy parked his car wrong‚ and you’re treating him lightly because you only gave him a parking ticket’.”
- TimesLIVE
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