Minister Gayton McKenzie talks about forensic probe into SAFA finances

The R5 million comes from the grant that SAFA was going to receive from the government’s allocation in the next fiscal year.

In the statement when this announcement was made, McKenzie said that they would be demanding answers from SAFA, including a turnaround strategy.

Now, he says, they will be doing more than just that.

"What gave me a way in with SAFA now was they asked me for money. Once you take my money as the minister, once I sign for money for you from government money, the public's money, we have a right to say something,” McKenzie said.

“So, if FIFA asked me, I will say, ha ah, we are talking about the money we gave them, what happened to that money? So, now we can investigate there, we are going to have a forensic investigation and I don't think FIFA will be angry.

“We need a forensic investigation done not by SAFA, done by us of what is really transpiring, why is it that rugby players don't struggle for their money? Cricket players don't struggle for their money?

“SA Cricket got R800 million in the bank, R800 million, how come SAFA can't pay R4.9 million, it's not right. So, for me, if I could have fired them I would have but I don't have that power to be honest with you."

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Bafana players and staff were owed match fees for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers from September until their last qualification matches in November.

Hugo Broos’ team finished on top of their group, unbeaten with 14 points to qualify for the AFCON in Morocco next December.

McKenzie says this is unacceptable.

"SAFA is doing a great injustice to our football because once you don't pay the players, these players qualified. There’s two issues here people don't see, the fact that people deserve to be paid for work done, that's not happening. Secondly, what does it say about our country if we can't pay?” he added.

“Countries that lost, that didn't qualify have paid their players, we have qualified, our coaches have not been paid, our players have not been paid, Banyana Banyana has not been paid, Bafana Bafana has not been paid.

“We've got a great coach in Hugo Broos, if you are not getting paid and someone offers you a job, you will leave. Now we must lose Helman Mkhalele, we must lose these people because of the incompetence of SAFA."