Safa president Danny Jordaan reaffirms Bafana bonuses at Afcon

Bafana Bafana will earn a bonus of R320‚000 each for progressing past the group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations‚ South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan has said.

Jordaan and Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa visited Bafana at their Novotel hotel next to Cairo international airport this week following South African’s 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast in their Group D opener at Al Salam Stadium on Monday.

Jordaan said both he and Mthethwa had been pleased with the spirit in the Bafana camp‚ but both expressed their displeasure at the performance given up against Cote d'Iviore.

Jordaan said coach Stuart Baxter does not have a mandate at this competition‚ but Safa's expectation is that Bafana progress to the last-16.

“We expect them to go to the second round‚ at least‚” the Safa president said.

“That's why we have a bonus structure‚ to go to the second round. Because it's no use you win one match‚ win this match. That's when we give them R320‚000 each [getting through the group stage]. And if they had gotten the normal win bonuses of R60‚000 [per game]‚ you would get R180‚000 [for three group wins]. But we want to go to the second round. So we double it to go to the second round.”

With such a structure‚ Bafana will earn no bonuses for matches they win in the opening round - only the lump sum if they reach the last-16.

The top two teams in six groups and four best third-placed finishers of the first expanded 24-team Nations Cup progress.

Jordaan said Minister Mthethwa had told Bafana he was disappointed with the way they played against Ivory Coast.

“Firstly‚ he was very happy with the vibe amongst the players. Of course‚ he was disappointed with the performance‚" Jordaan said.

"Even they are disappointed with the performance. They know‚ they didn't perform. They've accepted that. What the reason was‚ I don't know. Whether it was the heat or what. They just didn't even get into first gear. They didn't play."

Bafana meet Namibia in their second Group D match‚ also at Cairo's 30‚000-seater Al Salam Stadium at 10pm on Friday night.

SA meet Morocco at the same venue on Monday at 6pm.