LETTERS of warning have been issued to those responsible for Bafana Bafana's Mbombela disaster.

Safa chief executive Robin Petersen confirmed yesterday that action had been taken against the individuals responsible for misreading the qualifying rules that cost Bafana a place at the Africa Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea.

But he declined to name the culprits - even when asked by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

"Letters of warning were written to people who should have known better," Petersen said in an interview with Avusa Media yesterday.

"We had sent a report to the minister and to Sascoc (SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) which indicated that disciplinary action had been taken against those who I felt were responsible for not reading the rules properly.

"But as I said to Sascoc and to the minister and to my (executive committee), that's a matter between myself and the employees."

Petersen said emotions ran high where Bafana Bafana were involved.

"I listened to explanations that were given and then took what I believed was the right disciplinary action," he said.