The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has lodged a formal complaint at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) over what it alleges were “racist and sexist remarks” made by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. The remarks referred to were made in a press conference in Pretoria on Wednesday. Anirate Broos was expressing disappointmentat young defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s move from Orlando Pirates to Chicago Fire and that he missed a flight so was late joiningBafana Bafana’s campat Pretoria University’s High Performance Centre, where they are preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
The UDM’s complaint was confirmed in a Facebook post by party MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa on Thursday. “We have lodged a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission against coach Hugo Broos for his racist and sexist remarks directed at Mbokazi and his agent, Basia Michaels,” Kwankwa posted. “Racism and white supremacist attitudes have no place in our society and we will not tolerate them from anyone, including the Bafana Bafana coach.
We have also written to Safa [the South African Football Association] to express our deep concern and disgust at his comments. The statements in question apparently refer to Broos saying he would hold a meeting with Mbokazi over the missing flight, and the player would go into the discussion “black” and leave “white”. “I will have a chat with him after training and I can assure you, he’s a black guy and he will leave my room as a white guy,” Broos said on Wednesday.
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Criticising the destination of US club the Fire, who Mbokazi joins from Orlando Pirates after Afcon, for the 20-year-old defensive prodigy as his first overseas team, Broos apparently referred to Michaels as a “nice little woman who is his agent”. Hugo Broos slams Mbekezeli Mbokazi for reporting late to Bafana camp.WATCH full press conference ➡️➡️➡️https://t.co/7aLFXZOwZApic.twitter.com/ErpeAa5ViK A source close to Broos, who did not want to be named, said he meant Mbokazi would be leave the meeting “white” (pale with concern) from having been read the riot act. They said the coach referred to Michaels in the manner he did because the Belgian’s use of English is not perfect. Broos said Mbokazi missed a flight from Durban and arrived late in the Bafana camp, which started on Monday.
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