By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) have confirmed that the bonus row between the association and Banyana Banyana ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has finally been resolved.
Banyana Banyana had said their contracts did not include the R500 000 appearance fee promised by FIFA to each of the 23 players.
The spat caused a renewed conversation around gender pay gaps in sports in the country.
Mining magnate Patrice Motsepe brokered the deal between the two parties with a donation of about R6 million, which will go towards the players’ bonuses.
On Tuesday, Minister of Sport Zizi Kodwa met with Safa, the South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu), and the players’ representatives to try to find common ground.
Banyana are supposed to leave for Australia and New Zealand in two batches on Wednesday and Thursday.
While SAFA will receive $1.5 million (R30 million) to cover the travel and other costs around the tournament, the association were not allowed to take money from this pot for player stipends, as confirmed by SAFA president Dr. Danny Jordaan during the presser.
With SAFA struggling to find the additional funds for the ‘appearance fees’ for Banyana from the association – independent from the FIFA grants – it appears that that’s where the main issue was.
As a consequence, the Motsepe Foundation stepped in after a call from Kodwa to Motsepe, and provided the additional funds for the 23 Banyana players going to the World Cup, as well as the technical team, support staff around them and the three substitute players.
Each Banyana player will now receive an additional R230,000 as a stipend, thanks to the Motsepe Foundation stepping in and pledging R6 million overall, as confirmed by SAFPU president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe.
Speaking at a press conference in Johannesburg, Precious Motsepe said that “this moment is about us paying lip service when it comes to gender equality” saying it has mostly been “rhetoric” with no action.
“It takes every single one of us to ensure gender equality becomes a reality.”
Each player will receive a R230 000 rand bonus in addition to the Fifa fee, the South African Football Players Union announced at the press briefing.
“We must present our case on behalf of this national pride to say they too deserve what Bafana Bafana (senior men’s national team) deserve, what the Springboks deserve,” Kodwa said at the same conference.
Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the World Cup from 20 July and African champions South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Zambia are representing the continent.
Precious Motsepe encouraged the squad to continue to “speak up” about gender inequalities.
Meanwhile National Lottery operator Ithuba has pledged a further R2 million to the Banyana Banyana players ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
, Ithuba’s Michelle van Trotsenburg said the operator supports equal pay for women.
“We are a female-led company, so it’s an honour for us to pledge that we will be pledging R2 million toward Banyana Banyana. We are very much behind supporting women in sports and equal pay in sports.”
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Video Courtesy of SABC.