Banyana’s bonus structure questioned

FOLLOWING the impressive win by the South African women’s football team Banyana Banyana at Saturday’s Wafcon (Women’s Africa Cup of Nations) final, there is concern that the players are still undergoing gender discrimination in terms of payment.

This is according to the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) which has learnt the players will each receive only a
R55 000 bonus for reaching the finals of this World Cup qualifier.

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This is a significantly smaller amount compared to the reported R250 000 each of their male counterparts would receive had they qualified for the Fifa Men’s World Cup in Qatar.

CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi said they had discussions in the past with the South African Football Association (Safa) regarding the unequal pay structures between men’s and women’s teams.

“We will continue to engage different sport associations and federations on the matter.

“It is our understanding that players in the senior national men’s team receive different bonus amounts when they participate in tournaments of the same level, and this should be a cause for concern in the sport fraternity,” Baloyi said.

“This unfairness cannot be allowed to continue. To the best of our knowledge, Safa had committed to paying Bafana Bafana players R250 000 each had they qualified for the Fifa Men’s World Cup.

“This is against the backdrop of their appearance fee, camp money, and food allowance. The CGE is failing to understand why Banyana Banyana players are not remunerated on the same scale as their male counterparts for all the matches won to reach the finals on Saturday in Morocco.”

He said they are aware women’s football does not attract the same sponsorship as men’s, but feel this is “yet another form of systemic gender inequality in our society”.

“We are of the view that it is the duty of the Safa office bearers to source more funds to compensate the women’s team for their sterling work.

“The Department of Arts, Culture and Sport could have also been approached before making the bonus payments for the women’s team, as the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has previously done following the outcomes of the Olympic Games,” continued Baloyi.

“The women’s team is the country’s pride and joy, and the players and technical team deserve better treatment and more respect.”

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