SAFA and Bafana Bafana players conclude AFCON bonus agreement

Talks have been ongoing between the federation as well as a committee of players led by captain Ronwen Williams while the team is camping in Stellenbosch ahead of their departure on Thursday to Ivory Coast.

CAF confirmed an increase of 40 percent in winnings last week – the newly crowned continental champions will walk away with a whopping R130-million, runners-up pocket R74-million, while the semifinalists and quarterfinalists will cash in on R46-million and R24-million respectively. 

Speaking to SAFA media shortly after the “memorandum of agreement” was signed on the dotted lines by all parties involved, Jordaan elaborated further on the breakdown of the bonus structure. 

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“We have to get the team to focus. We have to clear everything – and if they win, they get USD7-million, and if they lose, they get nothing. We want the team to focus and to perform,” the president explained. 

“Over a period of time, we have settled this team and we don’t want to waste time on discussing unnecessary stuff. I am here to make sure that every box has been ticked and that there’s nothing outstanding.” 

Bafana open their AFCON campaign in Korhogo against Mali on 16 January and their group also include Tunisia as well as Namibia. 

Jordaan believes the side coached by Hugo Broos, a 2017 winner with Cameroon, has what it takes to go all the way. 

“We want them to give us the kind of performance that will make the nation to take a deep breath and say ‘we have a team’. I think this AFCON is going to be one of the most competitive – it’s going to be challenging, but I think we have a team that can compete. They must focus and work hard and I am sure everything will go well with them,” concluded Jordaan. 

Under coach Stuart Baxter at the 2019 tournament in Egypt, South Africa reached the quarterfinals and the agreement then was R520 000 for each player.