Bafana have raised their levels while Safa continue to fumble

SOUTH African football is once again in crisis — not because of the players, but because of those who are meant to serve them.

- SMISO MSOMI

Fifa’s three-point deduction for fielding Teboho Mokoena while he was suspended, has dragged Bafana Bafana back into a familiar mess. And while team manager Vincent Tseka must shoulder responsibility, it would be dangerously simplistic to make him the sole scapegoat.

The hard truth is that Bafana have lifted their game under Hugo Broos. This is a team that reached the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, pushing Nigeria all the way in a penalty shootout.

In World Cup qualifying, they have been consistently competitive, winning crucial matches home and away and positioning themselves strongly in Group C.

The players have responded to Broos’ methods with discipline, belief and resilience — in many ways proving the critics wrong.