"I Only Wear Bafana Bafana T-Shirt": Lt Gen Mkhwanazi Backs National Team vs Rwanda

• Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi attracted widespread attention last week during his appearance before the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee
• His testimony sparked public interest, showing a more personal side of the police commissioner
• Bafana Bafana, will face a crucial World Cup qualifier against Rwanda on 14 October, with qualification still hinging on other Group C results

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made headlines last week during his testimony at the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee investigating his revelations about the South African Police Service.

The committee began sitting on Tuesday, 7 October 2025, with Lt Gen Mkhwanazi as the first witness.

Sports broadcaster Robert Marawa noted that the Lieutenant General appeared exhausted during his testimony, which ran from Wednesday evening, 8 October, into the early hours of Thursday.

When asked about his political affiliation, Lt Gen Mkhwanazi delivered a striking and humorous response:

"Well, it's good because General Bheki Cele will know that if there's a law broken, even if he breaks the law, I'll arrest him as well."

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He added:

"I don't wear a T-shirt of a political party. I even struggle to wear a soccer club's T-shirt, except maybe Bafana Bafana. And I don't dream of becoming a politician. There were invitations from some of the members for me to join."

His candid remarks resonated widely, particularly his emphasis on being a supporter of the national football team rather than any political party or football club.

Bafana Bafana Face Must-Win World Cup Qualifier

Bafana Bafana will return to national duty on Tuesday, 14 October, in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.

A victory alone may not guarantee automatic qualification, as the result of the Group C match between Nigeria and Benin will also be pivotal. A win for both Nigeria and Bafana Bafana would see South Africa through to the next stage.

The national team’s qualification hopes took a hit earlier this year when FIFA deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho in March. Last Friday, Hugo Broos’s side was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Zimbabwe, a result that felt like two points dropped after hitting the woodwork twice, clearing a goal off the line, and playing part of the match with a man advantage.

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There is another route for teams finishing second in their group. The top four best runners-up across all groups will enter a CAF playoff, which could lead to an intercontinental playoff for a possible “wildcard” World Cup ticket.

However, due to Eritrea’s withdrawal from the qualifiers, points earned against the last-placed team in each group will not count. For Bafana, that means the four points gained against Zimbabwe are excluded from the ranking of best runners-up.

Despite these setbacks, Bafana Bafana remain favourites to qualify according to bookmakers. The match kicks off at 6 PM and will be broadcast on SABC and Supersport.

Kaizer Chiefs legend backs Mbokazi

Briefly News also reported that a Kaizer Chiefs legend has backed Mbekezeli Mbokazi despite being sent off in Bafana Bafana's draw against Zimbabwe.

The South African football legend backed the Orlando Pirates captain by claiming he took one for the team despite retaliating against an attack.

Source: Briefly News