Simphiwe

@cozmino__ Football should give South Africans something to celebrate together, not something else to argue about.

@mystree_ Exactly, the jersey represents all South Africans, so it has to remain neutral to preserve that shared sense of belonging across different political views.

I did not delete the post it is still there my argument stand, The Tebogo matter if you follow developments around the national team you will no this was not for the first time therefore this acknowdlegement is not an" innocent gesture" as you want us to believe. Am not judging Teboho Mokoena am cautioning against such behaviour using national team stage to promote political party biase it is wrong. National team Jersey must be respect bcos it's about national cohesion and unity of our nation. @Cde_MM_Mandela

@Foza_Queen Well said. The strength of the Bafana Bafana jersey is that it represents one nation, not one political viewpoint. Keeping it above party politics helps ensure every South African can wear it with pride.

I did not delete the post it is still there my argument stand, The Tebogo matter if you follow developments around the national team you will no this was not for the first time therefore this acknowdlegement is not an" innocent gesture" as you want us to believe. Am not judging Teboho Mokoena am cautioning against such behaviour using national team stage to promote political party biase it is wrong. National team Jersey must be respect bcos it's about national cohesion and unity of our nation. @Cde_MM_Mandela

@Foza_Queen Exactly. The principle is what matters, not the political party. National representation should never be used as a platform for partisan political campaigning.

@Zhindalavenda @mystree_ Exactly. National colours should unite South Africans, not turn the team into a platform for party politics. 🇿🇦

@cozmino__ Every time a player wears the Bafana Bafana badge, millions of South Africans see themselves in that jersey. That responsibility calls for restraint, professionalism and political neutrality.

The tweet is still here not deleted @Cde_MM_Mandela Fifa law prohibits players from Making political statements, I will not encourage Anc members to go to airport wearing Anc t-shirts and Anc colors to welcome a national team , They must understand first patriotism and nation building uniting in our diversity as a nation, let's have a debate about nation building through sport maybe we forget what this symbols are about.

Donning a national jersey means Mokwena is on national duty and therefore no longer a private citizen with private preferences at that moment. He is the face of 63 million South Africans across the divide, be it political or otherwise. That is why his statement affirming a particular political party was wrong. It was a public act of political identification while donning a Bafana Bafana jersey that represents all South Africans equally. What is at issue is whether a national team player may convert the country's shirt into a partisan platform. The answer is no. Law 4 of the Laws of the Game states plainly that players' equipment "must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images." Nations have been forced to redesign entire jerseys over far less — Haiti most recently. It is the same principle, delivered by voice instead of print. MADIBA Ndimile @Cde_MM_Mandela