Zungu demands Bafana Bafana World Cup bonuses are paid by Thursday

Sandile Zungu has given the South African Football Association (Safa) until Thursday to pay Bafana Bafana players and the technical team their World Cup bonuses, warning that anyone responsible for the delay could be dismissed if he is elected president this weekend.

Safa received $12m (£9.5m; about R218m) from Fifa more than a month ago after Bafana Bafana’s campaign at the tournament, which ended in July. However, the players and coaching staff are still waiting for their bonuses, with the delay prompting concern among some members of the squad.

Players were reportedly promised R2m each for the three group-stage matches. After Bafana Bafana progressed to the last 32, their individual payments increased to about R2.5m from the team’s R65m share.

Safa received the R218m payment after Bafana Bafana reached the last 32, where they were beaten by Canada.

AmaZulu owner Zungu, who is challenging Danny Jordaan for the Safa presidency, issued his warning during his campaign in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Monday.

“Why are we treating our athletes with such utter disrespect? It’s embarrassing. Go to AmaZulu and ask any player who has played for the club or who is playing for AmaZulu if he ever gets paid a day later than a contractual day,” Zungu told the media during his presidential campaign in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Monday.

“If you find one, give that ammunition to the opposition because then they will find something that they will use against Sandile Zungu. And I can assure you, your contract, you must deliver, we obliged.

“And that’s what I’m trying to bring at Safa, your contract, there must not be a debate, you earned it.

“On that note I’m actually throwing a gauntlet [down] to the Safa executive right now to say if that money is not in the bank accounts of the players, by the close of business on Thursday, when I walk into the office, those who are responsible for this injustice will account.”

Zungu said the money owed to the players and technical team must be in their bank accounts by the end of Thursday. If it is not, he said those responsible would be held accountable once he took office, should he win the election.

“Let me repeat, that money that belongs to Bafana Bafana players and technical team … it must be in their accounts by close of business on Thursday,” he said.

“If it is not, the people responsible for that injustice will account when I move into office as the president of Safa. They should consider themselves fired.”

Safa issued a statement shortly before Zungu’s comments, attributing the delay to international tax requirements linked to the tournament being staged in the United States and Mexico.

“As (World Cup matches) were played in both the US and Mexico, Safa is required to comply with the applicable federal and state tax laws. Given the complexities of these requirements, Safa appointed specialist legal and tax advisers in both jurisdictions”.

The association did not provide a date for the payments but said they would be made “as expeditiously as possible”.

The dispute comes as Zungu campaigns to replace Jordaan as Safa president. The election is scheduled to take place this weekend.