Gayton: Hugo Broos gaan nêrens

SOUTH Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie ensured he was front and centre as he welcomed Bafana Bafana back to South Africa after their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) exit, at a virtually empty OR Tambo International, on Wednesday morning.

It was in stark contrast to when Bafana were greeted with a hero’s welcome after the previous edition in which they claimed the bronze medal at Afcon, and the international arrivals hall was crammed with thousands of supporters. 

This time Bafana crashed out in the Round of 16 as they lost 2-1 to Cameroon over the weekend, and there was hardly a supporter in sight.

This time McKenzie would not have required his security detail to safely navigate the crowds, but instead walked up quietly to the team as they came out.

Just for good measure, McKenzie was clad in a South African flag as he personally welcomed all the Bafana staff and team members as they arrived.

The minister then defended coach Hugo Broos after criticism and calls from some people that he should be axed before the World Cup later this year. 

McKenzie, though, was quoted by the South African as saying: “Hugo Broos is going nowhere and I want to make that clear, Hugo Broos is going absolutely nowhere. Hugo Broos is going to Mexico.

“That’s where Hugo Broos is going, we can’t have this mentality where people must just be going, going, going.”