The cash-strapped SA Football Association [SAFA] has clarified the reason behind the delay in paying its staff March salaries.
SAFA usually pays its staff salaries on the 25th of every month. However, this week, the country’s football mother body reportedly notified staff that there will be a delay. Indications are that the salaries will now be paid at a later date.
The notice came just a day before payday with Bafana Bafana preparing to take on Benin in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Cote d’Ivoire.
“We were told that the salaries would not be paid in time because one of the partners has delayed releasing funds. SAFA said it currently has no financial reserves to pay staff in the meantime,” a SAFA staffer told FARPost.
According to the source, SAFA indicated that the partner committed to paying next week, after which the salaries would be paid.
THE R5 MILLION ADVANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT FOR SAFA
In December 2024, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture provided the association with an advance of R5 million to cover outstanding payments for national team players in anticipation of the festive season.
Minister Gayton McKenzie contacted SAFA to propose an advance, with the understanding that it would be deducted from the grant allocated for the 2025 financial year.
The advance came with the condition that SAFA’s leadership provided reasons for their financial affairs being so troubled and a viable turnaround plan to avoid such a situation. SAFA agreed to the conditions and thanked the Minister for the intervention.
At the time, McKenzie said: “We cannot allow players to go into this festive season without payment, especially since they have done the country proud. The men’s team recently qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, and we need them to focus on preparing for this challenge, as well as making sure we get to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Banyana Banyana have also led the way, winning the African Women’s Championship in 2022 and going deep at the FIFA World Cup last year.”
SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao explained to the Ministry that the sponsorship revenues had been insufficient while they also dealt with delayed payments from various partners.
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