The head of the Safa executive committee, Lindiwe Monipea, assured stakeholders that the 30 million Rands allocated for the VAR system are held in a special account. The association is working to complete governance checks within an additional 21-day period.
The South African Football Association (Safa) acknowledged that the update from the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture regarding the implementation process of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology took longer than expected, despite prior communication with relevant parties such as the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Sports Minister Gethon McKenzie criticized Safa for its inability to launch VAR this season, even though the department provided the necessary funding back in April. McKenzie demanded that the association provide him with a report within 21 working days or return the 30 million Rands allocated by the department.
Football
The issue of the delay intensified on Tuesday when Safa's leadership, including Executive Committee Head Lindiwe Monipea and Vice President Lindi Zwane, appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture to answer questions regarding the association.
Mkholisibam Sibam, head of Safa's Finance Committee in the National Executive Committee (NEC), informed parliamentarians that the association had indeed received funds from the department. He noted that these funds are held in a separate secured account and have not yet been utilized due to the need to complete various political and regulatory steps before disbursement.
Reasons cited for the delay include the necessity of training most local referees on VAR operation, as well as the fact that most stadiums belong to municipalities rather than clubs, which slows down infrastructure progress.
Later, Safa released a statement confirming that it had held meetings and consultations with key stakeholders, particularly the PSL, but admitted that it could have better informed all parties, including DSAC, about the progress.
The Safa statement indicated: "Safa also consulted with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) through the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC) on the proposed implementation framework. The VAR project team presented its work to the JLC and the PSL Executive Committee as part of the stakeholder consultation process."
Safa accepted the deadline set by the minister for providing a comprehensive report on the implementation progress, adding that it values the department's continuous support. "Following engagement with DSAC on August 18, the Department granted Safa a final extension of 21 days to complete the remaining processes and submit a comprehensive project report, including recommendations resulting from the review and confirmation of the preserved funds," stated Safa.
The association emphasized its commitment to ensuring that the VAR implementation is transparent, financially responsible, compliant with governance and procurement requirements, and sustainable.