The South African Football Association (SAFA) wishes to reject an article published by a Sunday publication this past weekend with the utmost contempt.

The publication claimed that SAFA wants to ask Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie to assist with paying the monthly salary of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. The newspaper further claims that the SAFA Finance Committee met two weeks ago at SAFA House, where they submitted the recommendation to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Gronie Hluyo.

SAFA wishes to state categorically that the claims are devoid of any truth as no such conversation came up during the meeting. Furthermore, the SAFA CFO has no such document sitting on his desk as claimed by the newspaper and the Association has certainly not approached the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture regarding such. This report is a complete fabrication, malicious and devoid of any truth, and SAFA wishes to dismiss it with the contempt it deserves.

The author of the article only made one attempt to seek a right of reply and never bothered to contact anyone else at the Association to verify the accuracy of his claims.

We will not be detracted from our plans, and we are fully focused on continuing to work on our programmes with the junior and senior national teams.