WeeklySA_AdminRESPONSIBILITY: SAFA executive committee told to move on and forget about holding team manager Tseka accountable for the Bafana yellow-card blunder, according to a source…
By Masoja Cele
Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka has escaped the wrath of the South African Football Association over the disgraceful Teboho Mokoena yellow card affair.
Tseka sparked fury for failing to register Mokoena’s second yellow card he incurred in the 2026 World Cup Qualifier fixture against Zimbabwe in June 2024. Mokoena’s first caution had occurred in a game against Benin in November 2023.
Following a SAFA management oversight, no official recorded the yellow card issued to Mokoena in the later encounter against The Warriors. This mishap inadvertently resulted in the midfielder being allowed to play against Lesotho in the qualifiers in March.
After a lengthy period, FIFA finally docked South Africa three points for fielding an ineligible player. The World Governing body ruled that Teboho Mokoena, who had accumulated two yellow cards, should have not played against Dikwena following the two cautions. The docked points almost paralysed South Africa’s chances to qualify for the 2026 World Cup Finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Subsequently, Hugo Broos’ team had no alternative but to push hard to convincingly win their two remaining matches against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
But, the team messed it up against Zimbabwe playing to a 0-0 draw in the Free State. They were then trailing Group C leaders Benin by two points.
South Africa’s fate was no longer in their own hands, depending rather on Nigeria to win against Benin, while Bafana retained hopes of beating Rwanda in Mbombela. Fortunately, Nigeria beat Benin 4-0 and Bafana trounced Rwanda 3-0 to book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup Finals.
Nonetheless, it emerged today that the team manager actually missed Mokoena’s second-yellow-card incident because he had left the venue to buy team ice.
Weekly SA Mirror has learnt that Tseka was not hauled before a traditional disciplinary hearing but his fate was decided by a controversially constituted ballot vote conducted by the SAFA National Executive Committee.
According to Weekly SA Mirror reliable source an urgent meeting was convened after Bafana’s match against Rwanda in Mbombela, chaired by the CEO Dr Danny Jordaan.
Recalling the events surrounding the saga, the source said: “Subsequently, we took a resolution that the Bafana Bafana vs Rwanda match should be his last as the HOD.
Surprisingly, the next morning the CEO changed the tune. He told the NEC members to forget about the past and focus on the future. We were all taken aback by this”.
