The South African Football Association (Safa) has conceded that it has taken longer than expected to update the office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture on the process of implementing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, despite having already been in touch with relevant stakeholders such as the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie lambasted Safa for failing to roll out VAR this season, despite the department providing the required funding as far back as April. McKenzie added that he demands the association update him within 21 working days or return the R30 million the department disbursed.
The matter surrounding the delay escalated on Tuesday as Safa’s leadership – including Chief Executive Lydia Monyepao and Vice-President Linda Zwane – appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture to address questions regarding the association.
Mxolisi Sibam, head of Safa’s Finance Committee in the National Executive Committee (NEC), revealed to MPs that the association had indeed received the money from the department. He noted that the funds are held in a separate ring-fenced account and have yet to be touched due to various policy and regulatory steps that must be completed prior to allocation.
Among the association’s reasons for the delay was that most local referees still require VAR training, while the reality that most stadiums are owned by municipalities rather than clubs has also hindered infrastructure progress.
Safa later released a statement on the matter, affirming that it has met and consulted with key stakeholders – notably the PSL – though acknowledging it could have done better to keep all parties, including the DSAC, updated on progress.
“Safa has also consulted with the Premier Soccer League (PSL), through the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC), on the proposed implementation framework. The VAR Project Team presented to the JLC and the PSL Executive Committee as part of the stakeholder consultation process,” Safa stated in a statement.
“Safa acknowledges that the governance, financial verification, and due diligence processes have taken longer than initially anticipated.”
Safa has accepted the minister’s timeline to submit a comprehensive report on the progress of the implementation, adding that it appreciates the department’s ongoing support.
“Following engagement with DSAC on 18 August, the Department has granted Safa a final 21-day extension to conclude the outstanding processes and submit a comprehensive report on the project, including the recommendations arising from the review and confirmation of the funds held,” Safa said.
“The Association remains committed to ensuring that VAR is implemented in a manner that is transparent, financially responsible, compliant with governance and procurement requirements, and sustainable.”
