Parliament questions Safa over Pitso Mosimane’s proposed salary package

South African Football Association (Safa) officials have faced intense questioning from parliament’s sports and arts portfolio committee over why incoming Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane was offered a significantly smaller salary package than his predecessor, Hugo Broos.

Safa appeared before the committee on Tuesday to answer questions about its finances and governance, but struggled to explain the proposed terms for Mosimane, one of South Africa’s most decorated coaches.

The association was also criticised after president Danny Jordaan failed to attend the meeting for a further time. Safa said Jordaan was visiting a doctor, but committee members called for him to participate virtually as pressure mounted for him to account for the organisation’s decisions.

Safa chief executive Lydia Monyepao was challenged over reports that Mosimane had been offered about R10m a year. That figure is approximately R6m less than the annual salary earned by Belgian coach Broos before his contract ended last month.

Monyepao argued that salary details were confidential. However, sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie intervened and revealed that Broos had been paid R16.8m a year, equivalent to R1.4m a month, excluding additional benefits.

“Hugo Broos got R16.8m annually, that excludes car and accommodation. I want to put it in context so that it must not be said we are not answering to the portfolio committee,” McKenzie said.

Committee chair Joe McGluwa subsequently called for Monyepao to be removed from the meeting, saying she had failed to provide satisfactory answers.

Members repeatedly pressed Safa to justify why Mosimane, who has won major honours during his coaching career, would receive less than Broos.

After a period of silence, Safa vice-president Linda Zwane addressed the issue. She said Mosimane had initially been offered R5m, with the proposed figure later increased to R10m following public criticism.

Mosimane and Safa have been involved in negotiations for several weeks, although the contract could be finalised this week.

The committee also questioned Safa about the money it will receive from Fifa after South Africa’s participation in the World Cup, and about the share allocated to Broos.

Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo said the association would receive $12m, worth about R190m, while Broos would receive 10% of that amount. Assistant coach Helman Mkhalele is due to receive 5%.

Economic Freedom Fighters member Eugene Mthethwa urged the committee and minister to hold Safa accountable, arguing that the proposed salary was an example of black coaches being undervalued.

“We cannot have our own coach, who is decorated better than others, who is more qualified than others, but is given a lesser amount. That totally undermines South Africans and undermines our own black people and it cannot be under our watch,” Mthethwa said.

Before she was removed from the meeting, Monyepao also admitted that Bafana Bafana had at times struggled to secure training venues during the World Cup.

She attributed that difficulty to another error by team manager Vincent Tseka, whose contract ended on 31 July.