Doctor Khumalo strongly defends Mbokazi after the red card he received in the Zimbabwe match!

The legend defends the young star.

Doctor Khumalo strongly defends Mbokazi after the red card he received in the Zimbabwe match!

A moment of fiery frustration has cost Orlando Pirates' Mbekezeli Mbokazi his place in Bafana Bafana's decisive World Cup qualifier against Rwanda. The Hluhluwe-born captain will be suspended after a dramatic stoppage-time sending-off against Zimbabwe, where he received two yellow cards in a whirlwind two-minute span—the first in the 95th minute and the second just before the final whistle in the 97th.

While the incident has sparked debate over the young captain's discipline, Bafana Bafana icon Doctor Khumalo has risen to his defense. Khumalo framed the ejection not as a simple loss of control, but as the explosive result of mounting pressure and provocation, suggesting Mbokazi's actions, though punishable, were born from an unwavering team-first mentality.

“He was provoked, and yes, he reacted, but that’s human in such a high-pressure moment,” Khumalo explained. “Even as the captain told play on, he was angry and wanted the game to keep going. He made that choice because he was fully committed to the team’s cause.”

Khumalo did not excuse the transgression but placed it in the context of the game's raw emotions, arguing that the 20-year-old essentially sacrificed himself for the collective effort.

“Retaliation is a bookable offence, and he must accept it,” Khumalo said. “But when you’re out there, the emotions, the provocation, the stakes, it all comes at you. He did what he did for the team, and that counts for something.”