Mbalula jets off to AFCON

Pretoria - Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula will travel to Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday to support Bafana Bafana in the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which kicked off over the weekend.

Read: Shakes to lift Bafana's spirit

"I am going to Equatorial Guinea to support our young and courageous countrymen," Mbalula said in a statement.

Commenting on the Bafana Bafana's 3-1 loss to Algeria in their opening game on Monday, he said it was a game South Africa could have easily have won but, in football, a team had to capitalise on its chances.

"We lost the first game and that is not reason to give up. I am optimistic Bafana would prevail in a group labelled the 'Group of Death'."

Mbalula called for all South Africans to continue to support Bafana Bafana and coach Shakes Mashaba.

"Maybe we needed to lose this game. We need to dig into our reserves and rekindle the 1996 AFCON victory memories."