Free Helman! Bafana Bafana Assistant Coach Mkhalele Cleared to Travel to Mexico

The departure of South Africa for the global finals, their first since 2010 when they were hosts, has been thrown into disarray after it emerged that an administrative error meant most players and technical staff did not have the necessary visas on the day they were scheduled to travel via charter flight on Sunday.

They face co-hosts Mexico in the World Cup opener in Mexico City on June 11 and have missed at least one day of preparation and acclimatisation to the altitude of Pachuca.

Mkhalele’s initial visa application was refused by the US Consulate General in Johannesburg for unspecified reasons, along with that of the team’s head of security, Mdu Mbatha, but both have now been successfully processed.

“I can confirm that Helman and Mbatha have obtained their visas, and they will be leaving to join the team. Tomorrow (Wednesday), all of them will be together,” South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday.

“I want to extend my gratitude and my thanks to all the staff at the American Embassy.”

South Africa are due to play a final warm-up friendly against Jamaica on Friday.

They are in Group A at the World Cup and after Mexico face the Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea back in Mexico in Monterrey six days later.