Vincent Tseka, the former manager of the Bafana team, has found himself at the center of a scandal for failing to provide receipts totaling R700,000 intended for the team's daily needs during the recent World Cup. Although his contract expired in July, it is reported that he remains affiliated with SAFA and requested an extension until Monday, August 31st, to locate the missing documents.
Despite his contract ending last month, Tseka continues to work with SAFA. The association demanded an account for R700,000, which was supposed to cover the team's souvenir expenses during the World Cup, as he could not present the corresponding receipts.
This incident is not the first time Tseka has caused controversy while working as the team manager. Various errors related to his duties have been recorded previously.
Teboho Mokoena Yellow Card Error
The Bafana team was supposed to win its final World Cup qualifier to secure a spot in the North American final. However, the team lost three points and suffered a 3-0 defeat because they fielded Teboho Mokoena in the home match against Lesotho, who was ineligible to play. Tseka, who was responsible for tracking player yellow cards, explained that he missed Mokoena's disqualification because he left the stadium to fetch ice for the team, and no one, including the player himself, informed him of this.
Failure to Organize Visas
Even after securing a spot in the World Cup, the team's departure turned into chaos. The team remained on the ground at OR Tambo International Airport because several players and technical staff members lacked the necessary visas to board the flight to Mexico. Tseka, whose responsibilities as team manager included travel logistics, took responsibility for this issue. Ultimately, the team required later intervention from external stakeholders, including government officials, to ensure the entire squad could fly out.
Fight in Liberia
During the African Championship qualifier match in Liberia, Tseka received a red card. Although fans claimed he was defending the team, this experienced administrator was expected to uphold basic standards of discipline and sportsmanship. The incident in Monrovia was the first time Tseka attracted negative public attention under head coach Hugo Bruus, foreshadowing further problems.
SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao confirmed that Vincent Tseka is no longer the manager of the Bafana Bafana team, as his contract expired on July 31st. Monyepao stated that the position has already been announced. Furthermore, Monyepao admitted that Tseka made several logistical errors during the African Championship.
Failure to Book a Training Venue
In 2022, Hugo Bruus arrived at the locked, unmarked Dobsonville stadium for a scheduled training session before the friendly match against Sierra Leone. It was later discovered that Tseka had failed to book this venue in time, leading to the team losing a crucial preparation day.
Missing the High-Performance Centre Booking
Bafana were high on spirits after qualifying for the 2023 African Championship final. However, their preparation faced a serious hurdle when Tseka reportedly failed to book the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria for the pre-tournament gathering. As a result, the team had to urgently book a training base in Stellenbosch—a change that Bruus ultimately praised after Bafana finished third in the tournament.