Bafana Bafana visa fallout: ‘SAFA must justify its existence’
· The South African
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has demanded accountability from the South African Football Association (SAFA) following the visa delays that disrupted Bafana Bafana’s departure to FIFA World Cup 2026.
Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, said SAFA management would have to explain how the situation unfolded after the national team’s travel plans were thrown into uncertainty at the last minute.
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Forced to delay departure
Bafana Bafana were scheduled to depart for Mexico on Sunday as part of their preparations for the World Cup, which kicks off later this month in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, visa-related issues forced the team to delay their departure until Monday.
The delay sparked widespread criticism and concern, with questions raised about the administrative processes leading up to one of the biggest tournaments in South African football history.
Speaking on the matter, Mabe said government was awaiting a formal report from SAFA and stressed that those responsible would need to account for the embarrassment caused.
“SAFA management must account. They must justify their existence. If we’re not going to do that, then we are heading for big trouble and more embarrassment,” Mabe said.
She warned that a lack of accountability would only encourage similar mistakes in the future.
“If people commit mistakes and are not held accountable, they continue because they know it’s Christmas,” she said.
Hide behind status as independent sporting body
Mabe also criticised what she described as SAFA’s tendency to hide behind its status as an independent sporting body whenever issues arise.
“Some laws and policies protect SAFA. They’re an independent body from the government. So they continue to use that as a scapegoat,” she said.
The Deputy Minister indicated that government would take a firmer stance once the association’s report is received, suggesting that any future engagement with SAFA could be conducted in full public view.
“But this time around, we will have to, even if it means that our meeting with them should be live on television, it has to be like that,” she added.
Resolved
The visa complications were eventually resolved, allowing the players to travel to North America, where Bafana Bafana will continue their preparations ahead of their opening World Cup fixture against Mexico on Thursday, 11 June.
The South African Football Association has not yet publicly responded to Mabe’s remarks, but the governing body is expected to provide a detailed explanation regarding the delays.
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