WATCH | McKenzie wants to investigate SAFA over unpaid salaries to players

McKenzie

Cape Town — Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said he would launch a forensic investigation into the R5 million that was released to the South African Football Association (SAFA) to pay wages of international players.

McKenzie was speaking at the Formula One bid steering committee in Kyalami on Wednesday and he said an investigation into SAFA’s financial affairs would be happening as Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana players have not been paid their respective salaries.

“SAFA is doing a great injustice to our football because once you don’t pay the players, these players qualified. There are two issues here people don’t see, the fact that people deserve to be paid for work done, that’s not happening. Secondly, what does it say about our country if we can’t pay?” he said.

“Countries that lost, that didn’t qualify have paid their players, countries that didn’t qualify for AFCON. We have qualified, our coaches have not been paid, our players have not been paid, Banyana Banyana has not been paid, Bafana Bafana has not been paid,” he added.

“We’ve got a great coach in Hugo Broos, if you are not getting paid and somebody else offers you a job, you will leave. Now we must lose Helman Mkhalele, we must lose these people because of the incompetence of SAFA.”

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“Safa doesn’t understand what I have done now [advancing them the R5m], I didn’t just give them money. I gave them money that was earmarked for them already, this R5m they were going to get anyway in April.”

McKenzie said he wanted to know why Safa ended up with financial problems.

“I said to them, I need a report back after December 18, after your board meeting, which I now hear they have postponed. I said I still need a report on the state of the finances. What is the state of your finances? Why is that you are in this position and how are you going to get out of this position?” he added.

He said he needed to remain careful about the process as his hands were tied. He could not risk getting Danny Jordaan removed, which could have led to South Africa being banned.

“I must have a cool head. What gave me a way in with SAFA now was they asked me for money. Once you take my money as the minister, once I sign for money for you for government money, the public’s money, we have a right to say something,” McKenzie said.

“So, if FIFA asked me, I would say, ha ah, we are talking about the money we gave them, what happened to that money? So, now we can investigate there, we are going to have a forensic investigation and I don’t think FIFA will be angry,” McKenzie added.

“We need a forensic investigation done not by SAFA, done by us of what is really transpiring, why is it that rugby players don’t struggle for their money? Cricket players don’t struggle for their money?

“SA Cricket got R800 million in the bank, R800 million, how come SAFA can’t pay R4.9 million, it’s not right. So, for me, if I could have fired them I would have but I don’t have that power to be honest with you.”

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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