Former Bafana Bafana coach Jomo Sono has laid the blame squarely on the national team manager Vincent Tseka, following SAFA’s recent sanction over the Teboho Mokoena eligibility saga.
Sono’s comments follow the official FIFA verdict two weeks ago, which confirmed Mokoena was ineligible for Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March. The midfielder, having accumulated two yellow cards in previous matches, should have automatically served a one-game suspension under FIFA rules.
As a result, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee declared a match forfeiture, penalising Bafana Bafana with a three-point deduction and officially awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho. FIFA further sanctioned SAFA with a hefty CHF 10,000 fine [roughly R216,000], while the ineligible player, Mokoena, also received a formal warning.
The penalty sees South Africa drop to 14 points, now level with Benin, who seize first place in the group on goal difference.
The former Bafana gaffer has weighed in on what could be one of South African football’s most costly administrative oversights. Sono did not hesitate to highlight what he believes is the fundamental problem at SAFA, drawing on his three past stints coaching the national team.
JOMO SONO SLAMS SAFA FOR BAFANA BAFANA ‘ROOT PROBLEM’
Pinpointing the structural flaw, Sono highlighted his past struggle with the association. “The problem I see there is that when you are the coach, they [SAFA] appoint your staff for you,” Sono told FARPost, emphasising his personal resistance to the policy.
He then shared his observation on the current Bafana setup, claiming coach Hugo Broos is critically limited in his operational freedom. “Broos has no say per se,” Sono asserted. He clarified the consequence of this imposed staffing: “If they bring people for you, you don’t know the experience they have because they just say, take this one and this one.”
While the loss of the three-point advantage jeopardises Bafana Bafana’s bid for their first World Cup since 2010, two crucial victories—against Zimbabwe on Friday and Rwanda next Tuesday—will likely seal their qualification.
But Orlando Pirates legend, Sono has weighed in on the psychological impact this administrative setback could have on the players in these must-win games.
Sono stressed that the administrative failure has created immense pressure on the team. “Now it has put a lot of strain and stress on the players and the coach because what happens if we play a draw with Zimbabwe and then Benin or Nigeria wins twice? We will get that stigma as a country and the person who is responsible will be the team manager,” he reiterated.
Player suspension tracking is the customary duty of the team manager, meaning Bafana’s manager, Vincent Tseka, was responsible for the oversight. Sono stated that if Bafana fails to qualify, Tseka must assume full responsibility.
“The team manager will be responsible because he made the blunder. He must just pray that South Africa qualifies with that blunder,” Sono added, highlighting the visibility of the error. “You see that blunder, it was even in the [news]papers that the player had been booked.”
‘The Black Prince’ concluded with a striking indictment of the national body: “There are many people there [at SAFA] who do not know their job, maybe that is the reason.”
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