The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana Bafana have signed an agreement regarding the players payment structures for participating at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast this month.
SAFA and Bafana Bafana representatives met in Stellenbosch, where the team is currently in camp, ahead of AFCON.
The players were represented by captain Ronwen Williams, Percy Tau, Siyanda Xulu, Veli Mothwa and Themba Zwane and they signed the memorandum on behalf of the Bafana Bafana team participating at this year’s edition of the continental tournament.
The SAFA management included the President Dr Danny Jordaan, Vice President Bennett Bailey, CEO Lydia Monyepao and the HOD David Molwantwa.
“We are happy that we could meet with the players, hear them out and come to an agreement on the financial side,” said Monyepao.
The negotiations have been ongoing for some time, with reports that SAFA wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s Banyana Banyana standoff.
This after the team boycotted some of the friendly games before heading to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, until their remuneration concerns have been agreed and signed on.
Jordaan believes that will inspire the team to do well in the tournament.
“We have to get the team to focus, have to clear everything.
If they win, they get R7-million and if they lose, they get nothing.
We want the team to focus and to perform.
We have, over a period of time, settled this team and we don’t want to waste time discussing unnecessary stuff,” said Jordaan to SAFA Media.
The team has failed to qualify for four AFCON tournaments, and only reached the quarter-finals stage in 2019.
Jordaan is however confident that the team will impress this time.
“Bafana Bafana will fare well in this edition of the AFCON and we are happy that this side of the game is now laid to rest.
We have discussed and signed an agreement, which remains confidential between management and players.
We are now fully focused on the tournament, on doing well at the AFCON,” explained Jordaan.
Bafana Bafana will fly back to Johannesburg on Wednesday to play an international friendly against Lesotho behind closed doors, before leaving for Ivory Coast on Thursday morning.
