Pay up or look for venue - SAFA told

JOHANNESBURG – Bafana Bafana’s final Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against Morocco could be moved away from FNB Stadium over a pay dispute involving the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Stadium Management SA (SMSA), Sowetan has established.

While SMSA MD Bertie Grobbelaar would not confirm if the match, set for June 12, would be taking place at Soccer City, it is understood the stadium management company has told SAFA it must settle an outstanding debt of about R1.5 million to secure the venue.

The money is apparently being owed from previous matches that SMSA – which manages FNB, Orlando, Dobsonville and Rand Stadiums – helped SAFA to stage. The company also allocated some of its facilities for national teams to use as training venues, and the owed amount – according to sources who cannot be named because they are not allowed to speak on the matter – is culminative of all services rendered.

In March, Bafana hosted Liberia at Orlando Stadium, drawing 2-2. They also faced Sierra

Leone at FNB Stadium last year, while the Africa Nations Championship qualifier against Angola was staged at the Dobsonville Stadium. SA’s junior national teams also played and trained at the SMSA-managed venues.

“These costs are inclusive of all national sides, and they’ve all been busy since last year. Unfortunately, SAFA didn’t live up to their promise of settling the debt, so the SMSA people are not budging. They want their money first before they can avail FNB to host Morocco,” said one of our sources.