Monyepao says Safa handled Banyana situation 'to the best of our ability'

While South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan refused to speak about the Banyana Banyana saga in a press conference on Monday, CEO Lydia Monyepao was adamant the governing body handled the situation as best it could.

Monyepao was speaking at an announcement at Safa House in Nasrec on Monday of a betting partnership for men's senior team Bafana Bafana with 10bet.

“We handled it to the best of our ability. I understand where they [the Banyana players] are coming from and I also understand where the association is, so I am wearing two caps,” Monyepao, a former Banyana player, said.

World Cup-bound Banyana and Safa are at loggerheads over bonuses and other issues such as Safa procuring 150th-ranked Botswana as their opponents for a send-off match before the World Cup at a below-par Tsakane Stadium.

Tension simmered on Sunday when Banyana, who are backed by the South African Football Players Union (Safpu), were unable to play the game after allegedly being instructed not to by Safa.

Safpu has been adamant the women's national team, in frustration that their demands were not being addressed to their satisfaction by Safa, threatened to not play against Botswana but never communicated a final decision on a boycott. Safpu said Banyana were told they would not play when they were on the team bus ready to leave for the stadium.

Safa hastily arranged 14 players from various Sasol League and Hollywoodbets Super League teams to honour the fixture. Botswana demolished the makeshift Banyana side 5-0.

Monyepao was confident the association and Banyana would reach an agreement before the team departs for New Zealand on Wednesday and Thursday, suggesting there might, however, be stumbling blocks in the negotiations on bonuses.

“We had a round table where we engaged each other and we are going to continue the discussions this [Monday], depending on the availability, so that we can iron out outstanding issues before the team departs on Wednesday and Thursday for the World Cup. By tomorrow [Tuesday], we should be on the same page.

“There are amendments that have been brought forward as far as the contract is concerned and we are engaging internally to see what we can agree to and what we can’t.

“After that we will engage them with our [proposal], having consulted the senior leaders inside, including our remuneration committee, so we can take the proposed changes back to them.”

TimesLIVE understands that by Monday morning the Banyana players had still not returned to the national camp.

The World Cup in Australia and New Zealand runs from July 20 to August 20. Banyana, ranked 54th in the world, are drawn in a tough group G with the third-ranked Sweden, 16th-ranked Italy and 28th-ranked Argentina.

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