Despite embracing each other and having a bromance moment, EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema says it would be an injustice to ignore the calls that there must be a change of leadership at the Danny Jordaan-led South African Football Association (Safa).
Malema, alongside Safa officials, Minister of Sports Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa and thousands of staunch South Africans, were stationed at the OR Tambo International Airport in the wee hours of Wednesday morning to welcome the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) bronze medalists.
Speaking to the media shortly after the Bafana press conference on Wednesday, Malema said the occasion was not suitable to address political matters and burning issues at the embattled football association.
“The fact that Danny must go still remains, he needs to go,” Malema said.
We’re not here for football politics
“But for now, we want to concentrate on celebrating Bafana Bafana and not spoil the whole celebration with the politics of football.
“Us (EFF) being here today listening to Danny doesn’t make him a good leader. Who can’t respond to simple questions about how much people (players) are going to get because they must be roped into some corners without us knowing that they are not getting what is due to them.
Amid reports that Bafana and Safa will be splitting the R47-million prize money for reaching the semi-finals of the competition, Jordaan said he would not disclose how much money would be given to the players yet.
“We don’t know [how much each player will get], we must wait of CAF,” Jordaan said,
“The players know what they have agreed with us, and it is something that we must discuss and finalise with the players first.
“It is their money; their income, and they will decide whether they want to disclose it to you or not.”
However, Malema challenged the comment, saying that Safa should be transparent about how much each player would be receiving as part of their bonuses.
Let there be openness on incentives
“It must be said in public so that we can judge whether they received their monies or not.
“If it’s not said in public and said in some private arrangement – instead of R1-million each player is given R500 000 and when they talk, they will say we never said we’d give you R1- million, it has always been R500 000.
“Patrice Motsepe does it very well; he announces there and there where the money will be going towards and how much the players will be getting.
“But those are the debates for another day, we are not ignorant of the fact that we need drastic changes in the leadership of Safa,” Malema added.
