Sports minister McKenzie forges ahead with demand for accountability from Safa

Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie is forging ahead with his demand for accountability from Safa for the embarrassing 2026 World Cup qualifier points debacle.

South Africa’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada were left on shaky grounds after Fifa docked Bafana Bafana three points for fielding ineligible player Teboho Mokoena in their qualifying win over Lesotho.

When Fifa docked the points, McKenzie promised an investigation into the matter and has sent letters to Safa president Danny Jordaan and CEO Lydia Monyepao, and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

Bafana went into the last match of the qualifiers this week with their fate not in their own hands but qualified after they beat Rwanda and Nigeria beat Benin.

After Bafana secured qualification, Jordaan said the matter was closed but McKenzie is determined to hold those responsible for the fiasco accountable.

In the letter to Infantino, McKenzie apologises to the Fifa president for the administrative blunder and assures him he is not interfering with the administration of the game in the country.

“As a nation, we are deeply committed to upholding the integrity of the game and maintaining South Africa’s reputation on the global stage.

“To this end, I have formally written to the leadership of Safa, specifically Dr Danny Jordaan (president) and Ms Lydia Monyepao (CEO) requesting a comprehensive report detailing the circumstances that led to this error, the accountability measures implemented and the remedial steps taken to ensure such an incident cannot recur.

“South Africa prides itself on playing fair and adhering to the principles of sportsmanship and the rules of the game as set out by Fifa.

“We deeply regret that this incident has cast a shadow over our commitment to these values.

“As the minister responsible for sport, I am personally dedicated to ensuring that robust measures are put in place to prevent any recurrence of such an error, thereby safeguarding the reputation of South African football and our standing within the international football community,” McKenzie said.

To Safa, McKenzie said he wants a report on the timeline of events within seven days.

“I kindly request that the report include a complete timeline of events, an explanation of how the eligibility error occurred, details of any internal investigations conducted, actions taken against responsible parties, and the specific preventive measures now in place,” said McKenzie, disputing Jordaan’s remarks that the matter is off the table.

“I acknowledge the recent statements to me from the Safa president indicating that the matter has been considered dealt with and that the association has chosen to move forward without dwelling on the issue.

“However, it is imperative that we prioritise transparency and accountability, particularly in light of the public’s valued interest in our national team’s performance.

“The fans deserve full reassurance that appropriate measures have been taken, including thorough accountability processes, consequence management for those responsible, and the implementation of robust remedial actions to prevent such a grave error from recurring in the future.”