Uncertain future for pupils and staff as Transnet dumps soccer academy

Following late payment of salaries for teachers, coaches, suppliers, and grappling with a runaway electricity and water bill, troubled parastatal Transnet has pulled out of Transnet/Safa School of Excellence soccer academy, which has produced Bafana Bafana players in the past.

The high school, in Germiston, Gauteng, has been left without a sponsor for the first time since Transnet came on board in 1995, leaving 120 pupils and 15 staff in the lurch.

Trials for the new intake of pupils for 2024 have been halted as uncertainty looms over the future of this crown jewel of SA football development.

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29-year sponsorship deal ends

Over a period of 29 years, Transnet has pumped more than R200 million into the school for education, soccer training, food, security, lights and water.  

The cash-strapped entity told The Citizen this week it was down-scaling its community service initiative projects due to financial strife.

It tried to pull out of the school twice before – between December 2022 and December 2023 – but devastated parents convinced the parastatal to delay the exit while they help Safa find another sponsor.

The year passed without a sponsorship deal and Transnet is now pulling out.

Service providers quit over non-payment

The parastatal will stop paying the salaries of staff at the end of April. The school is now in limbo.

Emailed correspondence between parents, school management, Transnet and the school’s custodian – Safa, paint a shocking picture of how the once flourishing school has been allowed to degenerate.

According to the paper trail seen by The Citizen, the catering and security companies that provided services at the school left after the non-payment of their invoices. As a result, the boys’ diet and safety have been compromised.

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At some stage, teachers even stayed away from classes during a crucial exam preparation period last year. They resorted to this after their salaries were not paid on time, a situation parents have identified as a factor behind six of the 24 matric pupils failing in 2023.

Transnet called irresponsible

A parent, who did not wish to be named, told The Citizen: “Transnet said it has no money. It will only cushion the salaries of staff until April. The school is buying food from its petty cash. Those kids eat pap and sour milk for breakfast, lunch and supper now.”

In a letter to the Transnet CEO, parents called the parastatal irresponsible and non-transparent.

In the letter, the parents alleged that the school’s principal Gilbert Molala only learnt about the cancellation of the sponsorship through a forwarded email from Safa and that no consultation with all the stakeholders, including parents, took place.

A task team was only set up to address the matter and seek a sponsorship after workers, fearing they would lose their jobs, staged a sit in, the letter to Transnet read.

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The task team negotiated a delay in the cancelation of the sponsorship from 31 March 2023 to 31 December to safeguard the jobs of staff and future of the kids.

End of the road

The Citizen understands that Transnet has agreed to take on part of the financial burden of the boarding school until the end of April 2024, giving the school months to find an alternative sponsor.

There are also fears staff might be down-sized to cut the costs of operations.

“So far, only the screening [job selection] of some staff members has been done and the coaching staff has not been processed, prompting fears they will not be taken and threatening the very existence and identity of the noble institution that is the Football School of Excellence,” read the letter to Transnet.

Former Bafana stars Steven Pienaar, Dillon Sheppard, Bernard Parker, Daine Klate and Bryce Moon come from the ranks of the School of Excellence.

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Transnet responds

In an emailed response to The Citizen, Transnet confirmed that after reviewing its community service initiative in the 2022 financial year, its operating model and its current financial situation, it concluded that it could no longer provide financial support to the School of Excellence.

“Over the past five years alone, the Transnet Foundation has been the sole funder, and has invested over R100 million into the school over this period. Since Transnet got involved in the initiative in 1995, the amount invested by Transnet is well over R200 million,” Transnet said.

The parastatal said it informed Safa of its decision to exit the school as early as December 2022.

The school’s principal could not respond to our questions. His response will be added once received.

The Citizen reached out to both Safa President Danny Jordaan and the association’s spokesperson Mninawa Nltloko for comment.

Their responses will be added one received.

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