South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has stepped up his criticism of the South African Football Association (SAFA), calling for the return of R13 million that was allocated to support the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in South African football.
The funding was intended to assist with the implementation of VAR, a system designed to help match officials make more accurate decisions on key incidents, including goals, penalties, red cards and cases of mistaken identity. However, according to McKenzie, the promised implementation has not taken place, leaving him frustrated with the lack of progress.
McKenzie says the government provided the money with a clear purpose: to help bring VAR to South African football. He has now written to SAFA requesting that the R13 million be returned, arguing that the intended objective has not been achieved.
The Minister has made it clear that he believes he has done what he can from his side. He previously facilitated efforts to investigate how VAR operates in other countries, including taking journalists, football administrators and members of the football fraternity abroad to study different systems and determine what could work best for South Africa.
His frustration stems from the belief that the necessary groundwork was done, yet South African football is still waiting for VAR to become a reality.
“We were supposed to have VAR,” McKenzie said, expressing his disappointment over the situation.
The dispute now places SAFA under increased pressure to explain what happened to the allocated funds and why the implementation process has not reached the expected stage.
VAR has become an increasingly important part of modern football, with many leagues using the technology to support referees and improve decision-making. For South African football supporters, the continued delay has raised questions about when the country will finally see the system introduced.
McKenzie is now putting the ball firmly in SAFA’s court. His demand for the R13 million to be returned signals that he expects accountability and a clear explanation regarding the use of the funds.
The coming weeks could therefore prove significant as SAFA responds to the Minister’s request and the broader debate over the future of VAR in South African football continues.
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