Mkhalele Cleared To Join Squad In Mexico
The South African Football Association (SAFA) president, Danny Jordaan, has confirmed that Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has finally received his visa.
The 1996 Africa Cup of Nations legend will depart South Africa on Wednesday to rejoin the national squad.
The breakthrough comes after Mkhalele, head of security, Mdu Mbatha, the team doctor, and a video analyst initially failed to secure their travel documentation on time, which Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie revealed.
Mkhalele and the rest were forced to stay behind on Monday when the main squad boarded a chartered flight to Mexico City.
However, an urgent diplomatic intervention by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), alongside direct assistance from the US Embassy and the Department of Sports, swiftly resolved the issue.
“Yes, they have [received their visas],” Jordaan exclusively confirmed to Sportswire.
Who is to Blame for the SAFA Visa Blunder?
The team’s Sunday planned departure descended into brief chaos when missing visas left key technical staff stranded. This forced SAFA into emergency meetings to salvage the situation.
Sportswire has been reliably informed that Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka allegedly bungled the handling of the critical visa application process.
The international gaffe has drawn sharp criticism from government officials. Deputy Minister of Sports Peace Mabe explicitly stated that those responsible for the administrative failures within SAFA will face severe consequences.
Bafana Bafana’s Final World Cup Preparations
Now unfolding their camp in Pachuca, Mexico, South Africa will play their final international friendly against Jamaica on 5 June. Hugo Broos’ men will then open their historic Group A campaign against tournament co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on 11 June.
A Rematch Rich in History
Following the opener, Bafana Bafana will square off against Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) on 18 June. The fixture evokes nostalgic memories for Mkhalele, who famously scored against the Czechs during the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That thrilling encounter ended in a 2-2 draw while Mkhalele was playing his club football for Kayserispor in Turkey. On that day, former Liverpool star Vladimír Šmicer netted a brace for a star-studded Czech team that featured global icons like Karel Poborský and Pavel Nedvěd, while South Africa’s Brandon Augustine scored the vital first equalizer.
Bafana Bafana will wrap up their group stage assignments against South Korea on 25 June, marking the first-ever senior international football meeting between the two nations.
The Ultimate Goal: In their three previous FIFA World Cup appearances (1998, 2002, and 2010), South Africa has never progressed past the group stage.
Despite a tough draw and early travel drama, there is a distinct sense of optimism that Broos’ current crop can defy the odds and make history on the global stage.
