Mokoena is a player of South Africa
South Africa’s Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has revealed startling details from the inquiry into how midfielder Teboho Mokoena featured in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier when he should have been serving a suspension, a costly mistake that saw Bafana Bafana docked three points.
The blunder, which temporarily jeopardised South Africa’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, occurred when Mokoena played against Lesotho despite having accumulated two yellow cards in previous matches.
As a result, SAFA was punished, with the 2-1 win over Lesotho being overturned into a 3-0 loss, dropping Bafana to second in Group C.
An internal investigation was launched to determine how the oversight happened. Speaking on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, McKenzie relayed the findings to the public, offering a rare look into the circumstances behind the error.
Two Yellows, 19 Months Apart: The timeline behind Teboho Mokoena’s suspension saga
“The report confirms that this was not an act of negligence or sabotage. But rather a strange and highly unusual set of coincidences,” McKenzie said.
According to the findings, team manager Vincent Tseka, who has since taken responsibility for the error, was not even present when Mokoena received his second yellow card.
“Team manager Vincent Tseka, who has taken responsibility for the oversight despite numerous extenuating circumstances. He was not present when the second card was issued as he had left the field to fetch ice for the players,” McKenzie revealed.
McKenzie said the incident, while bizarre, underscores a deeper issue within South African football administration, that the national team continues to operate under intense pressure with limited resources.
“That extraordinary coincidence tells us something deeper: that our national team is operating under immense strain with far too few hands doing far too much work.
“Despite the tremendous progress on the field and positive results, Bafana Bafana are still under-resourced. That’s the uncomfortable truth,” he added.
Despite the embarrassing administrative lapse, Bafana Bafana ultimately qualified for the 2026 World Cup after defeating Rwanda 3-0 on the final matchday, helped by Nigeria’s 4-0 win over Benin.
Watch the video of McKenzie below:
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Meanwhile, watch the latest edition of Sports Check with Godwin Sackey in the post below
