South Africa depart for World Cup without assistant coach due to visa problems

The chartered plane left Johannesburg after a chaotic 24 hours. The team had originally been due to depart on Sunday but was delayed by visa issues, which the South African Football Association (SAFA) described as an administrative error.

Mkhalele, a former winger who earned 66 caps for Bafana Bafana and played in their World Cup debut in France in 1998, will have to join the squad later after his visa application was initially rejected.

"The US Consulate General in Johannesburg turned down the visa without providing any reasons. It is extremely challenging to navigate a process where you receive no information," SAFA president Danny Jordaan told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on Monday.

"We have no idea why it was refused; we are fumbling in the dark, but we hope the issue will be sorted out shortly. All the players are on the plane and 99 per cent of the technical staff,"

South Africa are scheduled to play a friendly against Jamaica on Friday before facing Mexico in the prestigious opening match in Mexico City.

"We are now very pleased that we can travel to Mexico," South Africa coach Hugo Broos said. "The last few days have been somewhat stressful with all the issues we encountered, but those obstacles are now behind us and we can concentrate on what lies ahead.

"These ten days will fly by; once we arrive we will begin working and focusing on the first match against Mexico, so time will move very quickly. I believe everyone is eagerly anticipating the start of the World Cup,"

South Africa are in Group A and will take on the Czech Republic in Atlanta on 18 June and South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico, six days later.

This marks their fourth appearance at the World Cup finals, and they are aiming to progress from the group stage for the first time.