Zungu vows action on unpaid player bonuses if elected SAFA president

Zungu vows action on unpaid player bonuses if elected SAFA president. Skip to content Menu Home | Zungu vows action on unpaid player bonuses if elected SAFA president SAFA head office Image Credits : SAFA website SABC News 7 September 2026, 17:35 [SAST] SAFA presidential candidate Sandile Zungu has warned that those responsible for unpaid Bafana Bafana World Cup bonuses would be fired if he is elected on Saturday.

What happened

Skip to content Menu Home | Bafana squad bonuses should be in their accounts: Zungu File: Sandile Zungu Image Credits : SABC-News-Sandile-Zungu SABC News 7 September 2026, 20:06 [SAST] Following reports that FIFA World Cup bonuses for Bafana Bafana have not been paid a month after the conclusion of the tournament in the Americas, has left South African Football Association (SAFA) presidential candidate, Sandile Zungu, fuming. News of unpaid bonuses for the Bafana Bafana players who represented the country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States surfaced this weekend, a month after the tournament.

“If the matter isn’t resolved by close of business on Thursday, those responsible must consider themselves fired should I be elected president of SAFA on Saturday. ” Meanwhile, the 59-year-old has also weighed in on the VAR. Zungu will oppose incumbent Danny Jordaan in Saturday’s SAFA elective conference and said his broom would sweep clean should he be elected. “Let me repeat, that money that belong to Bafana Bafana and technical players must be in the accounts of the deserving people by close of business on the Thursday the 10th, and if it is not those who are complicit to that injustice will account when I move into the office as president of SAFA, they will consider themselves fired. ” The embattled association was also in the news for the wrong reasons in recent weeks after the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton Mackenzie, criticized them for not implementing the Video Assistant Referee Technology.

Zungu is opposing incumbent Danny Jordaan for the SAFA presidency in a two-horse race. The issue of unpaid bonuses or late payments for Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana has come up again and again.

The wider picture

Zungu says he’ll bring those responsible to book if he’s elected and the matter isn’t resolved by close of business on Thursday. He has promised to crack the whip and fire those responsible for the administrative bungle if voted SAFA president. Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie has expressed his frustration with the process and blamed SAFA officials for the delay. “What should have happened was for SAFA to meet the minister halfway in ensuring that VAR is acquired and an apology should be made to the minister and the country.

VAR is something that is needed to improve the standard of refereeing,” Zungu explains. He is responsible for the revival of a National Schools Soccer Programme to unearth talent, and good governance which Zungu says will attract investment from corporates. Zungu says he and his support staff have completed their groundwork ahead of Saturday’s elective conference and are certain of victory. Zungu says VAR must be implemented sooner rather than later.

What has been reported

The AmaZulu chairman also weighed in on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) issue The AmaZulu chairman also weighed in on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) issue with R20 million having been set aside for its acquisition by Treasury last year. Its acquisition and implementation has been dragging on for almost a year after McKenzie announced R20 million has been set aside. He also revealed that his mission is to see Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana win their respective World Cups instead of worrying about just qualifying for major international tournaments.

We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Treasury released R20–million for that purpose last year.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across sabcnews.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.