Department advances R5 million to SAFA 

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has decided to advance R5 million to the cash-strapped South African Football Association (SAFA) to pay players’ salaries ahead of the festive season.

“We cannot allow players to go into this festive season without payment, especially since they have done the country proud,” Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, explained in a statement on Thursday.

The Minister wrote to the organisation to offer the advance, with the understanding that it will be subtracted from the grant paid in the 2025 financial year.

This comes with the condition that SAFA’s leadership would need to provide reasons for why their financial affairs are so troubled, together with a viable turnaround plan to avoid such a situation in the future. 

SAFA has agreed to the conditions and thanked the Minister for the intervention. 

“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,” the Minister said.

In their correspondence to the Minister, the CEO explained that sponsorship revenues have been insufficient, while they have also been dealing with delayed payments from various partners. 

SAFA has been working on a financial turnaround strategy to increase revenues and cut costs, which will be presented to the Minister following the federation’s upcoming National Executive Committee meeting. –SAnews.gov.za