Mokotjo awaits go-ahead to play for Bafana

The South African Football Association are optimistic Kamohelo Mokotjo will be able to play for Bafana Bafana against Guinea-Bissau in tomorrow’s international friendly at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

“He is likely to feature,” said Safa Head of Communications Dominic Chimhavi yesterday, as the Department of Home Affairs confirmed the 24 year-old had re-applied for his South African citizenship.

The midfielder took up Dutch citizenship in December, meaning he had to renounce his South African citizenship under Dutch law.

“Mokotjo has since written a motivation to the Minister of Home Affairs for the resumption of his former South African citizenship as stipulated by legislation,” read a statement from the Department of Home Affairs.

“In this regard, the Minister may upon receipt of such an application allow the applicant to resume his former South African citizenship if he is satisfied with the facts presented before him. To this end, we are processing Mokotjo’s application and hope to finalise it by end of business on Friday, 24 March 2017.”

Mokotjo has been training with the Bafana squad all week in Durban.

“We are very happy with his (Mokotjo’s) contribution, but obviously we are waiting for the association to come back and give a final decision,” said caretaker coach Owen Da Gama.

Da Gama will be in charge for tomorrow’s game and for Tuesday’s friendly against Angola in East London, before making way for a new permanent head coach.

Chimhavi added that the new coach would be named on “Wednesday or Thursday”, while Safa have denied there will be a place anywhere on the coaching staff for Roger De Sa, who resigned on Thursday as Maritzburg United head coach.