McKenzie questions SAFA delay over appointment of Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana head coach

South Africa’s Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has questioned why the South African Football Association (SAFA) is yet to finalise Pitso Mosimane’s appointment as Bafana Bafana head coach.

SAFA’s National Executive Committee unanimously backed Mosimane to replace Hugo Broos on 8 August, but the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach is still waiting to sign his contract.

Speaking at the South African Sport Awards in Sun City on Sunday, McKenzie said he was surprised by the delay and called for Mosimane to be treated fairly.

“You know, I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m going to get a report because I have been told that Pitso Mosimane is our [Bafana] coach,” McKenzie told journalists.

The minister also insisted Mosimane should receive a salary comparable to that of his European predecessor, pointing to his record of three CAF Champions League titles.

” P itso Mosimane should be paid. The least they could do is start him with the same salary they started with Hugo Broos,” McKenzie said.

SAFA and Mosimane are reportedly understood to have agreed in principle on an annual salary of about R10 million, but the deal has stalled over contractual issues unrelated to his wages.

Those issues reportedly include Mosimane’s personal image rights, his football school programme, the composition of his technical staff and his independent podcast and media commitments.

With the agreement yet to be signed, former Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has reportedly been placed on standby to take temporary charge during the upcoming international window.

The uncertainty comes with South Africa’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign approaching.

Bafana Bafana are scheduled to host Guinea on 23 September before travelling to Egypt to face Eritrea four days later, with the latter unable to host the match in Asmara because of a stadium ban.

South Africa are in Group D alongside Guinea, Eritrea and Kenya, with a double-header against the co-hosts scheduled for November.

The pressure is therefore mounting on SAFA to resolve the Mosimane situation and ensure Bafana have a permanent coach in place before their AFCON qualifying campaign begins.