It boggles the mind that the South African Football Association (Safa) has allowed a payment issue to result in another strike by Banyana Banyana ahead of a major tournament.
There are almost no words to fathom such a bald inability to simply perform its duties acceptably. It speaks to the gross lack of any accountability at the organisation.
Banyana begin the defence of their 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title they won in the same host country, Morocco, when they meet Ghana in their opening Group C match at Honor Stadium in Oujda on July 7.
The players have gone on strike over unpaid bonuses for their three friendlies won against Malawi and Zambia in the build-up to the tournament in April and June. The national team missed two days’ training on Thursday and Friday after their arrival in Morocco. They have reportedly returned to training but only out of a sense of duty to maintain their fitness and preparation ahead of the tournament, but remain unhappy about the pay situation, which Safa proclaimed as resolved.
It is an unforgivable situation. The defending champions should not be missing a single training session ahead of the defence of their title.
And it’s not the first time this has happened.
Ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup the players refused to play their send-off friendly against Botswana at Tsakane Stadium in Ekurhuleni as they decried the standard of grounds and opposition before leaving for such a big event.
They also were protesting that their participation fee and bonus structure for the tournament had not been finalised on the eve of their departure.
There were ugly and embarrassing scenes for Safa as the players arrived at the stadium to try to watch and support the hastily arranged alternate side that took the field but were barred entry to the stands.
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi arrived to defuse the situation and broker further talks between the players, the South African Football Players’ Union and Safa. The Motsepe Foundation eventually stood in to bankroll the World Cup bonuses.
Yet another example of lack of accountability is that president Danny Jordaan refuses to entertain that a criminal case against him should be grounds for him to step aside pending the court case, in the interests of the organisation’s image given it cannot attract enough sponsors
Such scenes only continue to portray Safa as a mess. They help drag the organisation’s image through the mud, meaning the battle to attract sponsors will only intensify.
So it is remarkable the association has allowed a similar situation to happen again. It speaks to the lack of accountability.
At its congress on Saturday Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao said the association had cash flow problems. Finance committee chair Mxolisi Sibam suggested win bonuses for teams might have to be reconsidered.
Yet another example of lack of accountability is that president Danny Jordaan refuses to entertain that a criminal case against him should be grounds for him to step aside pending the court case, in the interests of the organisation’s image given it cannot attract enough sponsors. A move by Jordaan’s opponents to bring a motion for him to step aside petered out on Saturday.
Jordaan claimed that three of the charges relating to theft being dropped in the case are evidence there is nothing to it, but charges of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud remain.
Bafana Bafana, Banyana and the junior teams are enjoying success — the men’s Under-17s reached their age group World Cup and Amajita won South Africa’s first-ever U20 Africa Cup of Nations this year.
In yet another display of a flagrant lack of accountability, Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka — who Safa admitted to parliament last month was responsible for the unforgivable error of Teboho Mokoena being fielded in a qualifier when he should have been suspended, threatening a points deduction and Bafana’s place at the 2026 World Cup — has not been suspended pending a probe.
While the players do their best to continue the turnaround in particularly long-suffering men’s football, and Banyana fly the flag with excellence in women’s football, Safa’s poor administration and unaccountable conduct remain a nightmare.
The Banyana strike is just the latest evidence of that.
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