GU reveal Tanzania ordeal: Coach punched, players attacked
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday September 18, 2026 10:11
The allegations form part of a formal complaint the local champions have submitted to CAF following their 2-1 defeat to Yanga at the Azam Complex on Saturday. The Reds and Yanga played to a 1-1 draw in Gaborone a week ahead of the decisive second leg.
Speaking to MmegiSport, GU head of operations Herbert Letsebe said the club was particularly concerned about the treatment of its delegation before the match, which he described as contrary to CAF requirements governing the hosting of visiting teams.
“Let me confirm that we indeed wrote to CAF to complain about the treatment we got from our counterparts in Tanzania, Young Africans Football Club,” Letsebe said.
“The treatment we felt was unsporting behaviour from their side. They contravened a lot of CAF statutes that outline the requirements of how the host team should treat and welcome the visiting team.”
According to Letsebe, the problems began before the team even reached the stadium, with GU alleging that the police escort arranged for them did not arrive.
With Dar es Salaam traffic delaying their journey, the club was forced to arrange its own escort through assistance from a member of its advance party who has relatives in Tanzania. GU eventually arrived at the stadium after 5pm, later than the scheduled 4:30pm arrival, according to Letsebe. The club then encountered another problem at the stadium when its kit manager and medic were allegedly denied entry despite having accreditation.
“Our kit manager and the medic were refused entry, and our kit bag disappeared for around 10 minutes because it was taken from them,” Letsebe said. He said an argument with security personnel followed before the match commissioner intervened and the officials were eventually allowed inside. However, GU's most serious allegations relate to what happened during the pitch inspection. Letsebe said players were confronted by security personnel and stewards after walking onto the pitch carrying water bottles supplied to them in the dressing room.
According to GU, the bottles were allegedly mistaken for muti intended to be sprinkled on the pitch.
“That’s when the commotion started. They were told they were carrying muti and they were chased off the pitch; some of the home supporters invaded the pitch and attacked our players,” Letsebe alleged. He said GU officials attempted to intervene, but the situation escalated.
“Our coach was punched in the face whilst trying to calm the situation by one of the security guys.”
Letsebe further alleged that Khalid Ninyonzima, the GU women's team coach who had travelled with the advance party, was beaten and manhandled before being removed from the pitch and having his accreditation taken away. GU eventually secured a VIP ticket for Ninyonzima so that he could regain access to the stadium.
Letsebe said the incident left the players unsettled before kick-off.
“The first 30 minutes were very unsettled, and that’s why Yanga scored an early goal,” he said.
Peter Shalulile gave Yanga the lead in the seventh minute before Cheick Touré doubled their advantage in the 84th minute, whilst Lebogang Ditsele pulled one back for GU in the 87th minute, but Yanga held on to progress 3-2 on aggregate.
After the tie, footage circulated online showing a pre-match incident involving GU players and water bottles on the pitch. Reports from Tanzania alleged that the incident centred on suspicions that the bottles contained muti, although the contents have not been independently established. Letsebe said GU's complaint goes beyond the water-bottle incident and includes the treatment of its delegation, security arrangements, and the alleged physical confrontations.
“What happened to us was not normal for football. Those guys were unsporting, unprofessional, unethical, and the sad part is all this happened with the Yanga officials watching,' he said.
The GU official further claimed that the club was not the first visiting side to experience difficulties in Tanzania, alleging that another local side, Jwaneng Galaxy, South African giants Kaizer Chiefs, and Zambia's Power Dynamos had previously encountered similar treatment.
GU are now waiting for CAF's response to their complaint, with the club seeking the continental body's intervention over what it says was an unacceptable match-day experience.