Safa to meet Banyana after World Cup send-off match drama

The SA Football Association (Safa) is set to have two emergency meetings with Banyana Banyana squad following the intervention of Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa, and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi.

This is after a row erupted between Safa and Banyana ahead of their friendly game against Botswana at Tsakane Stadium on Sunday.

Banyana’s demands

The players said they did not want to play on a poor-quality pitch and had financial demands of Safa that they wanted met in their World Cup contracts.

Unfortunately, Safa, led by president Danny Jordaan, were not ready to meet Banyana’s demands.

It is alleged Jordaan told the players to go home and Safa had to put out a makeshift team, with none of the Banyana World Cup squad involved.

Football officials called up players, including a 13-year-old, from a local league and delayed the kick-off by one hour before Botswana exploited their inexperienced rivals to win 5-0.

The result against opponents ranked 96 places below SA was a major embarrassment – and Banyana players had said before the boycott they wanted “stronger” opponents.

World Cup send-off

The match was supposed to be their World Cup send-off, with the tournament starting in Australia and New Zealand on 20 July.

Banyana said the match venue in the Ekurhuleni township, 50km southeast of Joburg, was unsuitable for international football.

The players said playing on a surface of clay and grass could lead to injuries, and rule them out of the World Cup.

Banyana also wanted to play their final preparatory game before flying to Oceania at a more prestigious venue such as FNB Stadium or Orlando Stadium.

‘Traitors’

A senior Safa official, who requested anonymity, told City Press on Sunday the players were behaving like “mercenaries” and “traitors”.

Apart from the venue and their opposition, Banyana are unhappy with the financial arrangements ahead of the World Cup, where they will face Sweden, Argentina and Italy in Group G.

According to the players, they will receive about R560 000 each from Fifa for being in the tournament, but nothing from Safa.

Banyana refused to sign pre-tournament contracts, demanding an additional $21 000 each from Safa, according to reports.

Unreasonable demands

Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo said the players were being “unreasonable” in their demands.

“What Fifa has committed to giving them is way more than we have committed to any of the national teams previously, including Bafana Bafana.”

Hluyo said each player received R20 000 for competing at the 2019 World Cup in France, where Bafana lost to Spain, China and Germany.

“What they are getting now is way more than that, but they are still not happy,” added the official.

The venue and bonus drama came one week after reports of a chaotic function in Pretoria when the Banyana squad was named.

Apologise

Some political invitees did not turn up for the event screened live on SABC, the sound system malfunctioned and stage screens remained blank.

“As a country, we must firstly apologise to the people of Botswana, the Botswana Football Association, Caf [Confederation of African Football], Fifa and also to our citizens for what transpired today. All parties accepted that we need to apologise,” said Lesufi.

There are two crucial meetings that need to be conveyed urgently.

The first meeting will be about dealing with contracts.

And second, about dealing with logistics going to the World Cup.

Banyana are due to leave for New Zealand in two groups, tomorrow and on Thursday, and play Costa Rica in a final warmup before tackling Sweden in Wellington on 23 July.

Additional reporting by AFP.