Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana have not qualified for a major international tournament since 2008, although South Africa has hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) since then, allowing them to compete in the respective tournaments.

According to the soccerladuma.co.za website, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has urged the national team to start qualifying for these major footballing events. Mbalula said the country needs to focus on its development structures, and qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

“Our urgent intervention to deliver this is of high importance by all of us, with the Brazil World Cup taking place next year. Bafana Bafana and the authorities must understand that there is no FIFA 'Plan B' for South Africa to host the event if Brazil don't host.

“Like other teams, Bafana Bafana must qualify, and for this to happen, we must execute our responsibilities for the better of this code of sport in the country. We have started the building blocks on a positive note and can see a ray of hope looming large in the horizon.

“We need to draw our lessons from this AFCON tournament as we prepare for the qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But we need to urgently work on an overall and comprehensive long term strategy for scientific athlete development plan.

“Arising from lessons drawn from this AFCON and our assessment of the general capabilities and short-comings of our team, the Ministry of Sport and Recreation of South Africa will join hands with SAFA in addressing the areas which will help the team to qualify for world tournaments," Mbalula concluded.