SAFA now making a tidy profit

SAFA President Danny Jordaan says Stuart Baxter will hand in a report on Bafana's World Cup qualification failure when he is back in the country. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

SAFA President Danny Jordaan says Stuart Baxter will hand in a report on Bafana's World Cup qualification failure when he is back in the country. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Published Dec 3, 2017

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At its annual general meeting today, the South African Football Association (SAFA) will report a profit of R23-million from the financial year ending June 30.

This is a swift recovery from having been in the red a year ago because of a R45-million shortfall, with large sums of money spent on preparing the Under-23 men’s team and the senior women’s side, Banyana Banyana, for the Olympics in Rio.

Safa’s surplus has come from the following revenue streams:

Fifa funding of nearly R9-million per year;

CAF share of TV rights which is just over R11-million;

A CAF grant to member associations of R1.3-million per year;

SAA travel partnership has brought a profit of R25-million in this financial year;

SABC broadcast deal now worth R100-million a year.

“We have managed to reduce our costs compared to the previous financial year, and we did that through the junior national teams and Banyana,” said Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo.

“Remember that the women’s team had to be in camp almost every week in preparation for the Olympics and that was quite expensive.

“The men’s junior teams were also very active, but we have since had a reduction on costs there because their activity is not the same as last year.”

The association has also saved on paying big salaries to some of its employees who recently resigned, including COO Mthobi Tyamzashe.

“None of them were replaced, that is why we regard this as a saving,” Hluyo added.

“We had a R5-million reduction for the year. All we did was a re-allocation. We are also strengthening the balance sheet with the projects that are currently underway, mainly at Fun Valley.”

Safa plan to build a hotel at their National Technical Centre, which they paid R65-million for in 2015.

The vision is to have all teams, including Bafana Bafana, use the resort for lodging ahead of big matches instead of being booked into luxury hotels around the country.

“As we speak, we are in the process of building a boundary wall around the 38 hectares; it’s a very big property,” said Hluyo. “There will be a guard house there as well.

“We are also in the process of constructing an artificial pitch and two natural grass pitches. The target for that is around February and March next year.

“Fifa has also confirmed funding for a construction of the changing rooms at Fun Valley. For now the facilities are only being used for accommodation, but we want to use them for soccer activities.”

Meanwhile, Safa president Danny Jordaan also revealed that coach Stuart Baxter will submit his report on why Bafana failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The losses of not participating at the global showpiece hit home on Friday when the draw for the group stages was conducted in Moscow.

“He (Baxter) was out of the country, but as soon as he gets back we expect a technical report to explain to us what went wrong,” said Jordaan.

Bafana finished bottom of their World Cup qualification group behind leaders Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde.

Baxter was in charge of fix of the six games and only managed one win, while he lost the rest.

It is unlikely, however, that any explanation for the failure will cost the Scotsman his job.

Another national team without a permanent coach is Banyana.

Jordaan said the association was courting two European-based women coaches who have given Safa their presentation on the way forward, but the president did not give a timeline regarding when the vacant post would be filled.

It is understood that Desiree Ellis, a former Banyana player who has been interim coach since the departure of Vera Pauw and recently helped clinch the Cosafa Championship in September, will not be considered for the job as she is not “ready”. Ellis, 54, is likely to be an assistant to the new coach

@superjourno

Sunday Independent 

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