“Case Closed”: Gayton McKenzie Speaks on Bafana Bafana Points Deduction
- Bafana Bafana could face a points deduction after fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier
- FIFA rules require protests within 24 hours, but Lesotho submitted theirs days later, raising controversy
- Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie weighed in on the issue, calling it “case closed” and sharing FIFA guidelines
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has weighed in on the controversial issue surrounding Bafana Bafana’s possible points deduction by FIFA.
The deduction concerns the participation of an ineligible Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho in March, which South Africa won 2-0.
Source: Twitter
Currently, Bafana Bafana tops Group C with 17 points. However, if FIFA rules against them for fielding Mokoena, the team could see their points reduced to 14.
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder in question should not have been eligible to play in the match, according to FIFA regulations.
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Protests and FIFA guidelines under scrutiny
FIFA guidelines require protests to be lodged within 24 hours of a match. In this case, Lesotho submitted their protest several days after the fixture, raising questions about its validity.
The issue was further highlighted when the Benin Football Federation lodged an informal complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) via X (formerly Twitter).
CAF and FIFA have yet to provide an update on whether Bafana Bafana will face sanctions. Nigeria has been the primary nation pushing for the points deduction, adding pressure to the South African side.
Benin Republic’s challenge and Group C implications
Following Benin’s 4-0 victory over Lesotho, the West African nation moved to second place in Group C with 14 points. A deduction of three points from South Africa would level Bafana Bafana with Benin, intensifying the competition for qualification.
The Benin Republic released a statement on X, saying:
"Thank you, CAF_Online, for congratulating us on our victory. We kindly request a fair review: please reconsider the 3-point deduction against South Africa and respect suspension rules. Let the spirit of the game decide the qualification."
McKenzie responds: “Case closed”
In response, Sports Minister McKenzie tweeted an explanation of FIFA rules, captioning it simply:
“Case closed.”
Take a look at his first tweet below:
As seen in his second tweet below:
He followed up with a second tweet that included a screenshot of FIFA guidelines regarding the lodging of complaints, clarifying South Africa’s position on the matter.
Source: Twitter
FIFA has a history of penalising African nations for fielding ineligible players during official fixtures. Ethiopia and Nigeria are among the countries that faced point deductions and disciplinary action after breaching player eligibility rules in previous World Cup qualifying campaigns.
It has also suspended Congo-Brazzaville from international football in February 2025 due to third-party interference in the country's football federation, FECOFOOT.
FIFA releases statement on Bafana vs Nigeria
Briefly News also reported that ahead of the mouthwatering clash between Bafana Bafana and Super Eagles, FIFA released an official statement concerning the match.
The statement gathered a lot of reactions from Nigerian and South African football fans on social media.
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Source: Briefly News
