FCSB defender Siyabonga Ngezana not honouring a Bafana Bafana call-up due to document issues has raised question marks and the veracity of that reason has been disputed by a diplomacy expert and political analyst.
Ngezana received his first-call up under Hugo Broos after a stellar season for FCSB, who topped the Romania SuperLiga after a regular campaign, before the ongoing championship play-offs.
Broos was questioned on why he did not give the former Kaizer Chiefs man a chance late last year and leading up to the Africa Cup of Nations, but he explained after announcing his squad for the FIFA Series' international friendly matches against Andorra and Algeria, that it was a bit too late before the tournament to give him a run.
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However, the 26-year-old could not honour his Bafana call-up due to documentation issues, believed to be a visa problem, as the Belgian explained.
"Ngezana lost his documents, and for that reason, he couldn’t leave Romania," Broos said at a press conference in Algeria.
"Ngezana had a very good season, but now he doesn’t have his documents, so it is not because of us (that he couldn't join Bafana), it is because of him."
Suggestions by some are that the player made up an excuse because he did not want to play in friendly matches for the national team and instead chose to prioritize his club career.
A diplomacy expert and political analyst, Botsang Moiloa, supported that notion after explaining how easy it is to replace a lost visa, especially with South Africa having an embassy in Romania.
"We heard a story of a Bafana player who is caught up in Romania because he misplaced his passport," Moiloa said on WAW! What A Week with DJ Fresh Podcast.
"I agree with you (that he does not want to come and play for Bafana in friendlies). You know, I laughed when I heard the story. That's bizarre because... let me tell you, we have an embassy in Romania, in Bucharest.
"And let me tell you, South Africa is one of the countries where we can issue you a real passport in one day, it's a national duty. Our embassy would have issued that person with an emergency travel certificate or an emergency passport," he explained.
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"Or even a valid passport, that would have been couriered through the diplomatic (channel). He's a soccer player, he's there legally as a South African citizen. I didn't buy that story," he insisted.
Broos called up SuperSport United defender Siyanda Xulu as Ngezana's replacement.
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