Sports minister clears the air on Bafana Bafana AFCON bonus dispute

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has moved swiftly to silence whispers of a bonus dispute within the Bafana Bafana camp, insisting that the squad is focused solely on ending South Africa’s 29-year trophy drought at AFCON.

The national team departed from OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday night, concluding their preparations at Pretoria’s High Performance Centre. As they fly toward Morocco for the 2025 AFCON, the mission is clear: replicate the historic 1996 triumph and bring home the continent’s most coveted prize.

We have left our camp at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria and our journey to Morocco is well underway. We will depart to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations host country tonight.#BafanaPride@10bet_ZA @CastleLagerSA @SABC_Sport @HonorAfrica @Shield_ZA pic.twitter.com/ZrBJZeBq2L

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 17, 2025

Whispers in the Bafana Camp Ahead of 2025 AFCON

Despite a seemingly calm preparation period since December 8, speculation regarding player unrest began to swirl following comments by legendary midfielder Doctor Khumalo. Speaking on SABC Sport following South Africa’s 1-0 friendly win over Ghana, the 1996 icon hinted at internal friction.

“I heard via the grapevine the camp is not okay,” Khumalo revealed. “They are still fighting for something. I hope and wish when they get there, everything is resolved.”

These remarks were compounded by captain Ronwen Williams, who described the lead-up to the AFCON tournament as “strange and unusual” due to the “stop-start” nature of players joining the squad. While Williams maintained that the team had successfully put in the work, his choice of words fueled public concern over the camp’s stability.

The Minister Sets the Record Straight

With rumours of a standoff between the players and SAFA over match bonuses gaining momentum, Minister McKenzie took to social media and official channels to clarify the situation.

“We’re seeing lots of unnecessary, incorrect speculation about AFCON bonuses,” McKenzie stated firmly. “Player bonuses have been agreed already, separately from what we as government are giving.”

The Minister urged the nation to ignore the “noise” and pivot back to supporting the team as they enter the final stretch. “Right now, all we need is to rally behind the players and the team. We’re winning this cup.”

Bafana Bafana enters the tournament under immense pressure to deliver. Since lifting the trophy on home soil in 1996, the national team has struggled to reclaim its place at the summit of African football. However, with the bonus issue reportedly settled and a morale-boosting win over Ghana under their belts, Hugo Broos’ men land in Morocco with the eyes of a nation upon them.