The 1996 AFCON was hosted and won by South Africa. The competition was due to be hosted by Kenya but was replaced by South Africa. It was the 20th edition of the competition as it was the first time 16 teams participated in the competition. It was expanded into four groups with each containing four teams.
The defending champions, (Nigeria) withdrew from the tournament because their president then, Sani Abacha, refused to allow them to take part due to political differences between him and South African President Nelson Mandela.
It was played between 13 January to 3 February in four cities; Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
Kalusha Bwalya made a huge name for himself as he won the best player of the tournament and also won the top scorer (5 goals).
Clive Barker had decent players in his 22-man squad as Andre Arendse, Mark Fish, Lucas Radebe, Neil Tovey, Doctor Khumalo, John Moshoeu, Erik Tinkler, Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlet and Philemon Masinga all played wonderful roles in lifting the ultimate.
Bafana Bafana won 5 games and lost one in the six games they played. 2 wins in Group A against Cameroon (3-0), Angola (1-0) and a defeat (1-0) against Egypt helped South Africa top the group.
In the Quarter-finals, John Moshoeu’s 85th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over Algeria secured a semi-final place for South Africa after Lazizi had in the 85th minute cancelled Mark Fish’s 72nd-minute opener.
The semi-final was South Africa’s best game as they thrashed the much fancied Ghana 3-0 in front of 75,000 spectators at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. John Moshoeu’s brace and Shaun Bartlet’s strike condemned Ghana to an embarrassing defeat against much-determined Bafana Bafana.
Clive Barker’s men in the finals won 2-0 against Tunisia at the FNB Stadium as 80,000 football lovers witnessed history on 3rd February 1996.
It remains South Africa’s first and only triumph in the AFCON as they haven’t been at their best since 1996.
Nelson Mandela who had been elected president in the first democratic elections in South Africa’s history witnessed history as Neil Tovey (captain) and Nelsen Mandela lifted the coveted trophy.
South Africa’s triumph was shocking because they had only returned to international football in 1991.
