South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan has clarified what appeared to be confusion from his part that Bafana Bafana players would share $7 million, if they win the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Ivory Coast.
Jordaan, speaking to this publication, said “that is not the case,” when asked whether Bafana would indeed share the $7 million the association would get in prize money from CAF.
Jordaan, in a video released on Sunday by SAFA after a meeting between the mother body’s management that included Jordaan and senior Bafana players, said “they will share 7 million”, but he didn’t clarify the currency.
Bafana players and SAFA management were in Stellenbosch for the final camp before the team flies out to Ivory Coast for the AFCON and met to outline the payment structures for the tournament, with the players represented by captain Ronwen Williams, Percy Tau, Siyanda Xulu, Veli Mothwa, and Themba Zwane.
They signed the memorandum of agreement on behalf of the Bafana team participating in this year’s edition of the continental showpiece.
The SAFA management included Jordaan, vice president Bennett Bailey, CEO Lydia Monyepao, and the Head of Delegation (HOD) David Molwantwa.
Jordaan and Monyepao together told iDiski Times late last year that they had agreed with Bafana players on the bonus structure for the AFCON and what was missing for them was to sign, with the players having rejected the association a few times.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” said Jordaan when asked if Bafana will indeed take the whole $7 million, if they win the tournament.
“I’m saying the prize money is $7 million and then it comes down based on performance. They will not take everything [if they win], that is not the case.
“We have an agreement with the players, and they will be remunerated as such [based on their performance]. They are not talking about how much they are getting; we are not talking about it either.”
Jordaan also explained why it took some time for them and Bafana players to finally agree on bonuses for the AFCON.
The CEO of the 2010 FIFA World Cup LOC said there was no way they were going to do that early, and the perfect time was with the national team coach Hugo Broos having finalised his 23-man squad that will do duty in the Ivory Coast, starting on 16 January against the Eagles of Mali in Group E.
“You can’t do it earlier because you must wait for the players [the final squad] to come in,” added Jordaan.
“The PSL was played until after Christmas, how are you going to get them? Percy Tau [of Al Ahly and Bafana vice-captain] is playing in Egypt. So, you must wait for the final camp for people to come together and once you are together you can then start negotiating, talking to them.”
Bafana will also face Namibia and Tunisia, who they defeated when they won the AFCON trophy on home soil in 1996.
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
