The president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Patrice Motsepe, has stepped in to resolve a salary dispute between the South Africa women’s football team and the national federation.
The team’s preparations for the upcoming Women’s World Cup were thrown into disarray ahead of their final warm-up game against Botswana. In protest, the Banyana Banyana team boycotted the match and refused to sign contracts due to concerns over bonuses.
While FIFA had guaranteed each player $30,000 (£24,000) for their participation in the tournament, this amount was not included in the contracts provided to the players.
Patrice Motsepe, a wealthy South African businessman who also serves as the president of Caf, and his wife Precious Moloi, played a pivotal role in mediating an agreement between the two parties. Their foundation made a donation towards the players’ bonuses, helping to resolve the issue.
The Women’s World Cup is scheduled to commence later this month, with Australia and New Zealand as the host countries.