Parliament to scrutinise SAFA's governance and financial distress

The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture is set to invite the South African Football Association (SAFA) back to Parliament as part of an ongoing effort to address the associations’ troubling governance and financial situation.

This follows a revealing meeting held on Tuesday, where SAFA officials disclosed concerning details about their fiscal state, which they described as “not sound.”

Joe McGluwa, Chairperson of the committee, expressed his dismay over the serious issues plaguing SAFA, emphasising the need for a follow-up meeting to explore viable solutions.

"We need a way forward to pull SAFA from the financial stress it is in," McGluwa stated, noting that many crucial details were being withheld from committee members, which hampers productive discussions.

"Importantly, we could not find a sense that issues were being dealt with proactively,” he added.

The concerns outlined by SAFA during this session starkly illustrated the myriad challenges facing the association. One of the most pressing issues includes a stark lack of sponsorship, which has crippling implications for a sport that holds a deep cultural significance in South Africa.

Alongside this, the committee was made aware of a problematic disparity in salaries among national coaches, which bred discontent and contributed to a broader sense of instability within the organisation.

McGluwa further raised alarm over the absence of sound consequence management and the alarming reality that SAFA's liabilities currently far exceed its assets. This financial imbalance negates any hope of operational sustainability and puts the future of football in South Africa at severe risk.

"The inability to generate revenue for the national association is worrisome and could spell disaster for provinces and regions of SAFA," he cautioned, referring to a troubling trend where many football tournaments have taken place without any form of financial support.

"SAFA is not sustainable; SAFA cannot run its operations. This is the elephant in the room that all football-loving people need to sort the mess out," McGluwa concluded, succinctly summarising the urgent need for reform.

IOL