We are supported by good Samaritans: Machaka on how superfans attend Bafana away matches

As the fallout from the South Africa Football Association’s (Safa) off-field bungles continues unabated, prominent Bafana Bafana supporter Masilo Machaka has clarified their trips with the national team are funded by good Samaritans. 

Machaka and other prominent supporters Botha Msila and Mamello Makha attended Bafana Bafana's 2-0 2026 Fifa World Cup win over Benin on Tuesday at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.

Sports minister Gayton McKenzie last year put a stop to government funding of trips by superfans to sports events abroad. Many assumed the trip of Machaka, Msila and Makha was funded by Safa. There was a great deal of internet chatter around that point, with the public questioning how Safa afforded to send superfans to a Bafana match in Ivory Coast in the same week it emerged the association could not afford to pay its staff their March salaries.

Machaka explained the fans’ trip were supported by businesspeople after the superfans did their own fundraising. 

“People have been asking if we get funding from Safa or the ministry of sports and the answer is clear that there is no such a thing. We get donations for flights, accommodation, money for food and other logistics from good Samaritans,” Machaka told TimesLIVE Premium. 

“It is not easy when you are in a foreign country. You must remember Bafana were travelling to different venues during Afcon [last year's Africa Cup of Nations finals, where South Africa finished third] in Ivory Coast and that was an added cost for us because we had to move around with the team. 

“We get assistance from other people and there was definitely no funding from Safa or the ministry of sport. People are saying Safa has paid for us to be in Ivory Coast [for the Benin game] but how can they pay for us while they have not paid their staff? We don’t get funding from [Safa or the government], we are helped by people out there.” 

Another prominent supporter who attended the qualifier against Benin was Joy ‘Mama Joy’ Chauke, who is a known staunch supporter of embattled Safa president Danny Jordaan. Machaka, however, is unaware how Chauke’s trip to West Africa was organised and funded as he works closely with Msila and Makha. 

“I am talking on behalf of the three of us [Machaka, Msila and Makha] and I don’t know about the arrangements of other supporters who sometimes travel with the team. Those people can speak for themselves about how they travel. 

“We appreciate this opportunity to offer clarity about us attending some Bafana away games. Let me take you back to 2019 when we travelled with the national team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and last year in Ivory Coast. 

“We also went to Nigeria where Bafana got one point against the Super Eagles [in a 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in June last year]; there was also a trip to Uganda [Bafana's 2-0 Afcon qualifying win in November] and then this trip to Ivory Coast for Bafana Bafana playing against Benin. 

“From our side — which is myself, Botha and Mammello — we are people who always share ideas and plan these trips on how to get visas and sort out other logistical issues. We get donations from people who like to see us supporting Bafana. 

“Recently we went to the embassy of Ivory Coast to apply for visas and we didn’t even pay a cent because someone paid for us.” 

Machaka appealed to wealthy businesspeople and corporations to help other supporters travel with Bafana domestically and internationally. 

“Even when we went to Nigeria, it was difficult because I got stuck with my friend in Port Harcourt. It is sad to see only five or six Bafana supporters at away games while countries like Benin had a lot of supporters in Ivory Coast. 

“We are asking people with means to assist supporters to go and support Bafana in away games. It will motivate players when they see many South African supporters at the stadium when they play away.”