Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe has criticised the administrative shortcomings that led to a visa delay disrupting Bafana Bafana’s travel plans ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The delay forced the South African national team to postpone their departure by a day, raising concerns about the impact on their final preparations for the tournament. The squad eventually arrived at their hotel in Pachuca, near Mexico City, on Tuesday.
Shongwe said the incident reflects poorly on the South African Football Association (Safa) and called for greater accountability within the organisation.
He argued that repeated administrative failures continue to occur without consequences and are unacceptable at the highest level of international football.
The former goalkeeper also warned that even a brief delay can affect a team’s readiness for a major tournament, stressing the importance of acclimatisation, structured planning and maximising training time.
According to Shongwe, modern football demands meticulous preparation, and disruptions of this nature can undermine a coach’s tactical plans and overall tournament strategy.
Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group A alongside Mexico, Korea Republic and Czechia. South Africa will open their World Cup campaign against Mexico on 11 June and will need to finish in the top two of the group, or qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, to advance to the knockout stages.
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