The pair indicated to the country’s football governing body that they would like to come back and spend time with their family during this time
The South African Football Association (Safa) is working around the clock to help Club Brugge attacker Percy Tau and Benfica star Thembi Kgatlana return home.
This was confirmed by Safa’s communications head Dominic Chimhavi, who said the association got in touch with the majority of South African players abroad to find out what their intentions were amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Chimhavi, only Tau and Kgatlana said they wanted to come home and spent time with their families during this difficult time.
“Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus, we have approached most of our players abroad – men and women – to find out what their intention was,” Chimhavi told City Press.
“We did this at the time when government repatriated South Africans who were stranded abroad [in March].
“So far, Percy and Thembi have said they want to return home and we are doing everything we can to help them.”
It’s been almost two months since President Cyril Ramaphosa enforced a lockdown in the country and it could be difficult for the pair to return to South Africa as most international flights have been cancelled indefinitely.
Belgium, where Tau is based, as well as Portugal where Kgatlana is plying her trade, are among many European countries that are slowly lifting their lockdown regulations.
In the meantime, Tau is still waiting to see if Club Brugge will be handed the league trophy following last month’s recommendation by the board of directors that they be declared Belgian First Division champions.
However, the general assembly is yet to meet and decide on the matter, meaning Tau has still not received his winner’s medal despite his team enjoying a 15-point lead at the top of the log before the suspension of football activities across the world.
Should Club Brugge eventually be crowned champions for the 2019-20 season, it would also signal the end of Tau’s loan deal with them.
The South Africa international was loaned from English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion at the start of the campaign – and he is expected to go back to his parent club to decide his immediate future.
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