A war-of-words has erupted between Kaizer Chiefs legend Jabu Mahlangu and former Orlando Pirates maestro Benedict ‘Tso’ Vilakazi over whether Hugo Broos should lead Bafana Bafana at the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico later this year.
Mahlangu (formerly Jabu Pule) this week hit out at comments Vilakazi made about Broos after Bafana were knocked out by Cameroon on Sunday in the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
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“I hear that Tso Vilakazi says coach Broos must be fired,” said Mahlangu.
“He is a coach, and he has badges, but he is not coaching at all. Why is he not coaching? He is so reckless with the way he speaks. I think the current players will not respect him. Broos has done so much for Bafana. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose
“You do not have facts, and now you say Broos must be fired, after he built the team. Now we have a pool of players, a database that we did not have before this guy,” he added, in reference to the squad depth that Broos has built since arriving in the job in May 2021.
Mahlangu added that it would be unwise in any case for Bafana to fire a coach just a few months before a World Cup.
Mahlangu – ‘Our dignity is back’
“Why would you fire a coach with only five months before the World Cup? What’s the new coach going to do in that short space of time?” he added.
“It has been a long time since we lost because of this guy. Our dignity is back. The stadiums were empty before Hugo Broos, but the support is back. You guys need to respect our coach.
“You have badges, but you are busy bashing other coaches. And you are not even coaching in the first division or lower leagues. I am defending South Africa and our head coach because we cannot ignore his record and his work.”
Vilakazi told iDiski Times that he would release Broos from his contract ahead of the World Cup.
“For me let’s plan for the next World Cup and the next AFCON because he’s going any way after the World Cup,” said the former Pirates and Bafana midfielder.
Vilakazi – ‘Let’s be realistic’
“For me coach, you did very well, you took us to AFCON and you took us to the World Cup – we thank you very much, then I’ll get somebody.
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“This is not in a bad way but when a person says I’m leaving do you think that person is going to sit and have his best interest, as he is leaving come end of June/July? No. Let’s be realistic.
“Let’s forget about other things, he’s not going to put all his effort because he knows that even ‘if I don’t go to the next round of the World Cup I’m going. So why should I keep a person like that?’”