DA expresses concern about Bafana friendly withdrawals

In a statement, the DA said the withdrawal of teams from the friendly matches was a clear message from the world to “fix your broken country!’.

This comes after Madagascar joined Zambia in calling off a friendly football match against South Africa.

Chipolopolo were due to host Bafana Bafana in Lusaka on Saturday, but they pulled out because of the surge in violence against foreign nationals in South Africa.

The SA Football Association (Safa) then organised a friendly with Madagascar at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, but they also withdrew on Thursday.

“Clearly, the protracted xenophobic violence has further weakened our relationship with our African counterparts and is now affecting our national soccer team’s participation in sport.

“It is not just South Africans and the opposition that are standing up against the country’s economic and social collapse but the rest of the world as well, including our fellow Africans on the continent,” the DA statement continued.

The DA further added that it would write to the minister of sports, arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, to request he engage with his counterparts to find a common ground that would urgently resolve the current impasse.

“It cannot be that our national teams have to pay the price of the ANC’s failure to address the myriad of crises the country faces.

“These matches are important not just for the development of the game but for cohesion among African countries where the game of football has become a religion.

“Sport must continue to be an important tool for social cohesion between us and our fellow African brothers and sisters,” concluded the DA statement.

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