In the past, South African football was always able to turn to its fairy godfather, Patrice Motsepe, in times of need.
A few days ago, South African football was plumbing the depths of despair after the national women’s team and the national federation Safa were locked in a stand-off over finances.
The stand-off seemed to be heading for a stalemate until Safa president Danny Jordaan and Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa turned to Motsepe to rescue a dire situation on the eve of the team’s World Cup departure for New Zealand.
He in turn sent in Motsepe Foundation co-founder Precious Moloi-Motsepe, his wife, armed with a R6 million cheque to a meeting the next day.
The Motsepe money will serve as a top-up bonus for the players and technical staff. It amounts to R230 000 for each player and R150 000 for the team’s support staff.
The players had already been assured that Fifa would pay them R580 000 each for playing in the first round. With the Motsepe advance, the players will earn just over R800 000.
During her address to the team, Moloi-Motsepe showed that she was ready to assume the role of South African football’s fairy godmother after she said football organisations were paying too little attention to gender equity in the sport.
She said Banyana Banyana had conquered Africa, but the team were not made to feel like continental champions because the level of support was often lacking.
She said the team were not treated as champions – without pointing fingers at the national guardians of the game, Safa.
Moloi-Motsepe also pointed out that the payment impasse should not have happened, but organisational challenges surfaced because basic negotiation structures were not in place.
The Motsepes’ latest input into the local game has reflected the family’s extraordinary generosity and patriotism at a time when local football is trying to prove its credibility.
The present Safa hierarchy was returned with an overwhelming majority in the last elections, and is now under intense scrutiny from its critics.
Cape Times