SAFA Salary Offer to Pitso Mosimane Sparks Backlash Ahead of Bafana Bafana Return

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have publicly condemned the South African Football Association (SAFA), accusing the governing body of undervaluing celebrated coach Pitso Mosimane with its recent contract proposal.

Pitso Mosimane is widely expected to make his return as the head coach of Bafana Bafana following an endorsement from SAFA's National Executive Committee.

However, the deal hinges on the finalisation of contract negotiations, with the proposed salary emerging as a significant point of conflict.

Initial reports suggest that SAFA's first offer to Pitso Mosimane was approximately R5 million per year, which translates to about R416,000 a month.

This figure was promptly rejected by Pitso Mosimane's representatives, leading SAFA to reportedly increase the offer to around R10 million annually.

The proposed remuneration has drawn sharp criticism, especially when compared to the salaries of previous Bafana Bafana coaches.

Former coach Hugo Broos was reportedly earning between R1.5 million and R1.8 million monthly, a figure similar to the estimated R1.8 million per month paid to Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira during his tenure.

In a strongly worded statement, the EFF described the offer as "unacceptable," arguing that it fails to reflect Mosimane's extensive experience and unparalleled success in African football.

Pitso Mosimane, who previously coached the national team, has since become one of the most decorated club coaches on the continent.

His impressive resume includes leading Mamelodi Sundowns to their first CAF Champions League title in 2016.

He later joined Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly, where he secured back-to-back CAF Champions League trophies in 2020 and 2021, in addition to multiple domestic titles and CAF Super Cups.

The initial R5 million offer would have also represented a substantial pay cut from Mosimane's earnings during his first stint as Bafana coach, when he was reportedly paid around R800,000 a month, or R9.6 million a year.

"The question that SAFA must answer is simple: Why is a South African coach with three CAF Champions League titles being offered substantially less than a white foreign coach?" the party stated as quoted by The South African, highlighting the disparity.

The political party claims the situation points to a broader issue of "racialised valuation of black expertise in South Africa."

"For decades, Black professionals have been expected to achieve more while being paid less, while white expertise is automatically assumed to carry greater value," the EFF's statement continued, arguing that Mosimane's offer perpetuates this pattern within the sport.

"It cannot be that when a European coach occupies the Bafana Bafana job, SAFA finds the resources to recognise and remunerate that expertise at a premium, but when a Black South African coach with an extraordinary record is considered for the same position, his value suddenly drops dramatically."

The EFF has demanded that SAFA publicly justify the difference between the salary offered to Mosimane and those paid to his predecessors.

The party urged the association to revise its offer to one that truly reflects Mosimane's qualifications and achievements.

"South Africa cannot claim to value transformation while systematically undervaluing the very Black professionals who have achieved excellence at the highest levels," the statement concluded.