---

The issues that are being faced are real issues. These are people’s dreams. These are people who wake up with soccer in their minds and go to sleep with soccer in their minds. When you’re grandstanding in front of the committee, keep in mind you are grandstanding in front of elected people. – Members of Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture - Liam Jacobs.

---

 Sizwe sama Yende

---

Clubs participating in the shambolic third-tier semi-professional league finally have someone to champion their struggles.

Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture member Liam Jacobs sharply raised a concern about the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) failure to pay clubs affiliated to the ABC Motsepe League their yearly grants, travel allowance and provide playing kits for many seasons.

The league has 18 teams in the nine provinces. Provincial winners compete in play-offs for a spot in the professional National First Division, the Motsepe Championship.

This league has not only faced neglect from SAFA, but it has also been an epitome of corruption, game fixing and abuse of players.

SAFA president Danny Jordan and his entourage could not get a chance to respond to the allegations because the sitting on Tuesday had to be adjourned.

Reading a letter from one of the ABC Motsepe League clubs in the North-West, Jacobs said that SAFA refused to split the 18-team stream into two to lessen the burden of transport costs.

“The issues that are being faced are real issues. These are people’s dreams. These are people who wake up with soccer in their minds and go to sleep with soccer in their minds. When you’re grandstanding in front of the committee, keep in mind you are grandstanding in front of elected people,” Jacobs said.

BROKE ASSOCIATION

Chief Finance Officer, Gronie Hluyo, said several factors have put association’s finances in dire straits.

Hluyo said that the pursuit of gender parity meant that Banyana Banyana players had to enjoy the same benefits as Bafana Bafana and sponsorship for the women’s team has not been forthcoming.

“Unfortunately, the sponsorships are still skewed to women. This resulted in a huge funding gap for women national teams, especially Banyana Banyana,” he said.

SAFA is R14 million in the red, and its current liabilities outweigh its assets. The association achieved a R356 million turn over in 2024 and a loss of R5.4 million.

Hluyo said that broadcast revenue from SABC decreased from R110 million per annum to just R25 million.

Jacobs said that SAFA ignored FIFA’s advice in 2013 to trim down its bloated national executive committee (NEC) from 47 members to 18. The association therefore paid a huge honorarium bill that was R2.5 million in 2023 and R6.1 million in 2024.

Jordan said that the advice was dismissed. “We are now in 2025. The first question you must ask – what did SAFA do about that? That letter was dismissed. FIFA has 211 members and the way they’re composed depends on a number of issues,” Jordan said.

INTRODUCTION OF VAR

 The introduction of VAR, according to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, will cost between R8 million and R12 million, as opposed to the R80 million figure previously bandied about.

The department’s chief director Simphiwe Mncube has indicated that the tender has been advertised and there two suppliers had shown interest. The quoted figures include a six-week training programme for staff and officials.