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After days of unwanted headlines and administrative setbacks, Bafana Bafana can finally turn their attention back to football, Cape {town} Etc reports.

South Africa’s World Cup squad touched down in Mexico in the early hours of Tuesday morning following a lengthy journey from Johannesburg, bringing an end to a travel saga that threatened to overshadow the team’s preparations for the biggest tournament in world football.

Instead of spending the weekend settling into camp and adjusting to conditions, the national side found itself caught up in a visa controversy that delayed its departure and sparked widespread criticism. What should have been a routine trip quickly became a distraction as it emerged that many players and members of the technical staff did not have the necessary travel documentation in place ahead of their planned departure.

With the squad now safely in Mexico, attention can return to the task at hand: preparing for a challenging Group A campaign.

The delay was particularly frustrating given the importance of acclimatising to Mexico’s altitude. Every extra day matters when teams are preparing to compete in conditions that differ significantly from those at home, and South Africa effectively lost valuable preparation time before their opening fixture.

There was further concern when assistant coach Helman Mkhalele was unable to travel with the rest of the delegation after his visa application was initially declined by the United States Consulate General in Johannesburg. The same issue affected team security official Mdu Mbatha.

Fortunately for the South African camp, both matters have now been resolved.

SAFA president Danny Jordaan confirmed that Mkhalele and Mbatha had received their visas and would be joining the squad shortly.

‘I can confirm that Helman and Mbatha have got their visas, and they will be leaving to join the team. Tomorrow, all of them will be together,’ said Jordaan.

He also expressed gratitude to American officials for helping resolve the matter.

‘I would also like to thank the US Embassy for their cooperation and for their support in ensuring that all of our players are together now. I want to extend my gratitude and my thanks to all the staff at the American Embassy.’

With the logistical headaches seemingly behind them, Bafana can now focus on football matters.

The team still has one final warm-up match against Jamaica on Friday before attention shifts fully to their World Cup opener against co-hosts Mexico on 11 June.

South Africa’s return to the World Cup has generated significant excitement across the country. It marks the nation’s first appearance at the tournament since hosting the global showpiece in 2010, and expectations are growing as Hugo Broos’ side looks to build on recent progress.

The road ahead will not be easy. Alongside Mexico, Bafana will also face the Czech Republic and South Korea in a competitive Group A.

For now, however, the biggest victory may simply be that the entire squad is finally on its way to being reunited.

After a turbulent start to their World Cup journey, South Africa’s focus can finally return to where it belongs, on the pitch.

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Picture: Zamani Makautsi / Gallo Images

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