Team manager Bobby Motaung says Pule had to attend to a personal crisis before heading off to Ivory Coast for the African Nations Cup qualifier and could not make it back in time for the flight.

"He missed the flight and that can happen to anyone,” says Bobby Motaung. “We made efforts to get Jabu on an alternative plane to Abidjan but our efforts proved fruitless as the Bafana Bafana technical committee declined the proposal.”

"I even spoke to team manager Stan Tshabalala on the possibility of getting Jabu on another flight to Ivory Coast and he agreed but the suggestion was not accepted by the rest of the technical committee,” he says.

Pule has since been at training with Chiefs and is expected to feature in the "Champions Shield" against Sundowns on Saturday at Ellis Park.