SA Sport minister slams Broos over ‘insulting’ Morocco remarks

South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has launched a scathing critique of Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, accusing the Belgian tactician of “insulting” Morocco during the team’s ill-fated 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign.

The fallout follows comments made by Broos during the group stages, where he claimed he was “not feeling the vibe” in Morocco and suggested the previous edition in Ivory Coast offered better entertainment.

Speaking to the media upon Bafana Bafana’s arrival at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday morning, a visibly annoyed McKenzie made it clear that Broos’ remarks were inappropriate and did not reflect the views of the South African government.

“I Was Very Annoyed”

“I was very annoyed with the coach of Bafana Bafana; you don’t do that,” McKenzie. “You don’t go into someone’s country and insult them like that; it’s wrong. He’s in the hotel—how does he see the vibes outside? We were on the streets, and we saw the vibe. The Moroccans have done a sterling job, and this is the best Africa Cup of Nations I’ve ever seen.”

The Minister went a step further, confirming he intended to issue a formal apology to the host nation. “I’m going to apologise to the Moroccans on his behalf for his utterances. You don’t insult people in front of the whole world, especially a country that has welcomed us with such open arms.”

A Brutal Exit for Bafana And Broos

The off-field tension added a bitter layer to Bafana’s underwhelming performance on the pitch. Despite high expectations following their 2023 bronze-medal success, South Africa crashed out in the Round of 16 on Sunday night, falling 2-1 to Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions.

While Bafana showed flashes of quality in Group B—notably wins over Angola and Zimbabwe—the team struggled defensively, conceding six goals across their four tournament matches. The early exit has reignited debates over the team’s consistency under Broos, despite his recent success in guiding the team to 2026 World Cup qualification.

The “Vibe” Debate

Broos’ original critique centred on low attendance and a perceived lack of atmosphere, which he described as “cool” compared to the flag-waving fervour of West Africa. However, McKenzie dismissed these observations as being disconnected from the reality on the Moroccan streets.

As Bafana Bafana returns home to a nation grappling with the disappointment of an early exit, the friction between the Minister and the head coach suggests that the post-tournament review at SAFA House will be anything but quiet.