Mbalula backs Bafana after Mexico loss, responds to ‘hate capital’ criticism

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula publicly defended Bafana Bafana after their opening 2-0 defeat to Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and pushed back against criticism that South Africa was being labelled the “hate capital of Africa” amid tensions over illegal immigration.

Support for the team and a call for unity

Mbalula posted on X that Bafana had earned their place at the tournament and urged unity behind the squad. He wrote:

“Most [of] the haters we’ve seen are doing so outside the club because they couldn’t get in.
We stand as a country solid behind our boys – and won’t bury them for a single match when they’ve already defied every doubt.”

He added:

“One result does not define this journey. Rise, South Africa. Our boys are not done.”

The article notes that Mbalula had previously labelled Bafana “a bunch of losers” in 2014 after a group-stage exit from the African Nations Championship.

Critics warn of reputational damage

Opponents of the anti-illegal-immigration movement and other commentators warned that protests and actions by some groups have harmed South Africa’s international reputation. Economic Freedom Fighters member Sinawo Thambo said the protests had damaged goodwill and described anti-immigration protesters as a “handful of hateful Ntelezi idiots”.

Thambo argued the reaction to the team’s match result and the wider protest movement went beyond football-focused banter. He said:

“This is not only banter, it’s political satire. It shows how the world view is shifting towards viewing South Africa as a hub of hate, something that has never been part of our identity.”

Thambo also warned that South Africa being regarded as the “hate capital of Africa” at the FIFA World Cup would have been unimaginable in 2010 and said:

“It’s not a joke, and we cannot banter our way out of it. It’s a stain.”

Responses from other public figures

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma criticised those who celebrated Mexico’s win over South Africa, dismissing what she called “new Mexicans” and urging foreign nationals to focus on their own countries. She wrote:

“Supporting Mexico still didn’t fix your country. You’re still not Mexican, you’re still in a country that is underdeveloped.”

What comes next for Bafana

The report states that South Africa next plays Czechia in Atlanta on 18 June at 6pm local time.

The reactions captured in the report show a mix of defence for the national team and concern about how domestic immigration tensions are shaping South Africa’s image at the World Cup.