Banyana on strike ahead of Wafcon in Morocco over unpaid wages

Banyana Banyana have gone on a strike from training in Morocco in their build-up to their kickoff to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) on July 7 over alleged unpaid wages from the South African Football Association (Safa).

This was confirmed to TimeLIVE by a source close to the team who did not want to be named on Saturday.

In a shocking development for the defending champions, who lifted the trophy in the last tournament, also in Morocco, in 2022, coach Desiree Ellis’ team has apparently not trained since Thursday after arriving in the North African country on Wednesday.

This is yet another disastrous build-up to a major tournament for the women's national team, who play their first match of this year’s Wafcon against Ghana at Honor Stadium in Oujda in nine days’ time.

Ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Banyana refused to play their final, send-off warm-up game against Botswana over complaints about the standard of the opposition and Tsakane Stadium in Ekurhuleni as a venue ahead of such a large tournament.

They also downed tools over their win bonuses having not been finalised by Safa.

There were ugly scenes at the stadium as the players arrived to watch a match that continued with a hastily-arranged alternate Banyana taking the field, but were barred access to the stands.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi had to arrive at the stadium to mediate a stand-down and agreement to further talks between Safa, the team, and the South African Football Payers’ Association.

The Motsepe Foundation eventually stepped in to guarantee win bonuses for the team.

Banyana went on to become the first South African senior national team to progress past a World Cup group stage in Australasia.

The strike in Morocco takes place as Safa was holding its congress at Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday.

The troubled association has in the last year reportedly battled to pay wages to Bafana Bafana and Banyana players and its employees at Safa House.

A faction of unhappy NEC members and regions were set to table a motion in Sandton for embattled Safa president Danny Jordaan to step aside pending criminal charges for fraud for which he has been in court.

Safa was expected to comment on the Banyana matter and issues related to the congress later on Saturday. 

TimesLIVE