Is Everything All Well At Bafana?
All does not appear to be well within the Bafana Bafana camp, and captain Ronwen Williams has been subtly trying to alert the public — but his concerns seem to have gone largely unnoticed.
Williams has once again described the team’s training camp as strange and unusual behind the scenes as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
It remains unclear what the issues are, including whether Bafana Bafana and the South African Football Association (SAFA) have reached an agreement on the bonus structure ahead of the tournament.
At this stage, no official from SAFA has come forward to clarify the situation, as Hugo Broos and his squad depart for Morocco on Wednesday for the tournament, which will run from 21 December to 18 January 2026.
This will mark the second consecutive AFCON appearance for Bafana Bafana under the guidance of Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who led the national team to a bronze medal at the 2024 edition held in Côte d’Ivoire.
“We need all the positives and support right now,” Williams said on SABC Sport after the final send-off friendly win against Ghana on Tuesday.
“Yes, there have been a lot of things going on, but we want to put that behind us. Our focus is to go to AFCON with clear minds and give our all.”
Despite the challenges, Williams believes the team is in a good place and that the camp ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations has been productive.
“Obviously, it’s been a strange camp — very stop-start, with players coming in and out for obvious reasons,” he added.
“It’s been unusual, but we’ve still managed to get a lot of work done. That’s the most important thing, and I believe the boys are ready for AFCON.
“We have the support of the country now, unlike the last time we played at AFCON. The fans are behind us, we can feel it, and hopefully that support will give us extra motivation throughout the tournament.”
The 1996 African champions will open their AFCON campaign against Angola on 22 December, before facing Egypt on Boxing Day and concluding their Group B fixtures against Zimbabwe on 29 December.
