Just days before South Africa’s women’s national football team Banyana Banyana begins its title defence at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, the players have stopped training in protest.
Banyana Banyana demand payment ahead of WAFCON tournament
The issue at hand is unpaid salaries for preparation camps held in April and June.
According to SABC Sport, the players arrived in Morocco on Wednesday, 24 June 2025, but boycotted their training session two days later. The players say they have not been paid for participating in the camps that were meant to help the team prepare for WAFCON.
In football, a “camp” refers to a scheduled period where players gather to train together before a tournament.
These sessions are essential for building team tactics and improving performance. Players are usually paid for their participation in such camps.
The South African Football Association (SAFA), which is the national governing body for football in South Africa, has been accused of failing to pay these fees.
Head of Delegation Thabile Msomi met with the team and informed them that the matter has been reported to SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan. As of now, the players are still waiting to be addressed by Jordaan himself.
One player, who spoke anonymously, said:
“We had no formal meeting with SAFA today or even prior to camp. When we sought a meeting with the CEO, they simply said she was unavailable. The excuse given for the CFO/COO was that they were tired from an NEC meeting.”
This dispute has interrupted Banyana Banyana’s preparations for their first match of the tournament, which is scheduled for Monday, 7 July 2025, against Ghana at Honneur Stadium in Oujda.
Two more matches will follow, against Tanzania on 11 July 2025 and Mali on 14 July 2025.
Coach Desiree Ellis has named a 26-player squad for the tournament, with Refiloe Jane, Lebohang Ramalepe, and Amogelang Motau sharing captaincy duties.
Veteran forward Jermaine Seoposenwe, who has announced her retirement after WAFCON, is also part of the squad.
Banyana’s history of boycotting over non-payment
This is not the first time Banyana Banyana has taken a stand over financial issues. In 2023, the team refused to play a scheduled warm-up match against Botswana.
The players argued that Tsakane Stadium, the match venue, was not suitable for international football. They believed the pitch conditions could cause injuries before the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Because of the boycott, a second-string team had to be fielded against Botswana. This backup team included very young and inexperienced players — including a 13-year-old — and suffered a 5-0 defeat.
That incident also exposed deeper frustrations. Ahead of the World Cup, players demanded a $21,000 (approximately R395,000) bonus on top of the $30,000 (about R565,000) that FIFA promised each participant.
SAFA refused, calling the demand unreasonable. SAFA CFO Gronie Hluyo said the amount exceeded what was offered to the men’s national team.
The team also expressed unhappiness about not receiving contracts before the tournament. The situation became worse after a disorganised squad announcement event in Pretoria, where technical issues and missing officials caused confusion.
Despite these problems, Banyana Banyana went on to participate in the World Cup, and now prepare to defend their WAFCON title in Morocco. Whether the current wage dispute will be resolved before the opening match remains unclear.
