Here’s a bold statement: South Africa’s sports ministry is shelling out nearly R10 million in bonuses to national team athletes, but more than half of that is going to Bafana Bafana. And this is the part most people miss—while the men’s team grabs the spotlight, women’s cricket, rugby, and even the youth squads are also getting their share of the reward. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this distribution truly fair, or are some teams still being overlooked in the shadow of Bafana Bafana’s success? Let’s dive in.
Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie recently announced that his department will allocate almost R10 million in bonuses to athletes who’ve excelled in national team competitions. Bafana Bafana will receive R5 million, while the women’s cricket and rugby national teams will each get R1 million. The Under-20 men’s football team, reigning African champions, will also pocket R1 million, and the Under-17 squad, currently competing in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, will receive R500,000. For more local football updates, check out the News24 soccer page (https://www.news24.com/sport/soccer).
McKenzie shared these details during a feedback session in Pretoria, where he discussed various ministry initiatives. This announcement came on the heels of his scathing letter to the South African Football Association (SAFA), demanding accountability in the Mokoena-gate scandal. The minister expressed satisfaction with SAFA’s response, which outlined the incident and corrective actions, including a final written warning to team manager Vincent Tseka.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Tseka’s oversight led to Bafana Bafana’s disqualification from a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Lesotho. Teboho Mokoena, ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards, played in the 2-0 win, resulting in FIFA awarding Lesotho a 3-0 walkover. This blunder nearly derailed Bafana’s World Cup dreams, but the team rallied in their final qualifiers, securing a spot in next year’s tournament, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
This success follows a smooth qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), where the team advanced undefeated to the tournament in Morocco. The ministry’s bonuses aim to reward these achievements, extending recognition to the Proteas women’s cricket team (ICC World Cup finalists), Banyana Banyana (Women’s Afcon qualifiers), and the Springbok Women’s rugby team (Rugby World Cup quarterfinalists).
McKenzie highlighted the disparities in rewards across sports, particularly for women athletes. “Our soccer players, especially in women’s sports, don’t enjoy the same rewards as other codes,” he said. Deputy Minister Peace Mabe’s advocacy for women’s sports played a key role in ensuring teams like Banyana Banyana weren’t overlooked.
“As we move forward, having qualified for the World Cup, we want to ignite that spirit in our players,” McKenzie added. “Preparing for tournaments like the Africa Cup of Nations is challenging—limited sponsors, delayed salaries. So, in that spirit, we’re allocating R5 million to Bafana Bafana for their preparations.”
But here’s the question: While this initiative is a step forward, does it do enough to address the systemic inequalities in South African sports funding? Women’s teams and youth squads are finally getting recognition, but is it proportional to their achievements? And what about the long-term support needed to sustain their success?
McKenzie concluded by emphasizing the ministry’s commitment to all national teams, but the debate is far from over. What do you think? Are these bonuses a fair reflection of South Africa’s sporting achievements, or is there still work to be done? Let us know in the comments!
