iafrica.com's Khaya Ndubane wonders when Bafana Bafana will stop learning and instead show South Africans that they will make them proud in the 2010 World Cup.

The phrase 'We are still on a learning curve' has become way too familiar. It is heard every time Bafana Bafana lose a match and frankly, I am tired of hearing it.

When are Bafana Bafana going to stop learning? After all, the learning started way before the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan when then-coach Carlos Quieroz said he had a long-term plan to build a Bafana Bafana squad for the 2010 World Cup.

English coach Stuart Baxter came in after Quieroz was sacked and sang the same song that he was preparing a team for the World Cup.

Almost seven years down the line, Bafana Bafana are still learning. What is it that Bafana need to learn in order to be a force to be reckoned with in the 2010 World Cup?

Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena alone has over 90 caps under his belt but he says he is still learning! Learning what, exactly?

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the "learning" that Bafana coach Joel Santana and captain Mokoena are talking about is just another way of saying "we are a lacklustre team and we are hoping that one day we can be a better team".

I say this because on Saturday against Germany, Bafana players looked more like bench-warmers than seasoned professionals ? with their only real chance of the match coming courtesy of a German defender who almost scored an own-goal.

It was the same scenario against Serbia last month when they were walloped 3-1 in front of their home crowd.

The clash with Germany was Bafana's fifth loss in a row and with Ireland on form right now, one cannot rule out another defeat for the lacklustre Bafana team.

The time for Bafana to deliver has come and it's time for the South African Football Association (Safa) to admit that they made a mistake by hiring Santana.

One cannot blame the Brazilian mentor for "learning". After all, it was not his fault that he was hired even though he had no international coaching experience. Even now, after almost two years coaching Bafana, he is still "learning" how to mentor an international team.

The unfortunate part is that Bafana Bafana have run out of time and the time because the World Cup is just months away.

Let Santana learn somewhere else and hire an experienced coach who will make the country proud in the 2010 World Cup.

  • Do you agree with Khaya? Can Bafana Bafana deliver in the 2010 World Cup? Let us know what YOU think!