COMMENT
Safa are once again facing scrutiny, with national women’s coach Desiree Ellis at the centre of a growing contract dispute that threatens to derail Banyana Banyana’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifying campaign.
Despite the Safa national executive committee (NEC) having approved a new four-year deal for Ellis last week, the 2022 WAFCON-winning coach has not signed the agreement — and was absent when the team flew to Kinshasa for last Wednesday’s qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In her absence, assistant coach Thinasonke Mbuli took charge as caretaker, guiding the side to a battling 1-1 draw in the first leg. The result leaves Banyana needing a decisive victory in Tuesday’s return match at the FNB Stadium to confirm their place at next year’s continental tournament.
Ellis’ previous contract expired in July 2024, and she has been working on a month-to-month basis ever since.
Sources suggest she was handed the new offer only days before the team’s departure but remains unhappy with certain clauses in the proposed deal. The impasse has not only sidelined Ellis but also disrupted continuity within the technical team.
It is understood she will not be on the bench again for the second leg, with Mbuli expected to continue leading the squad in her absence.
Adding to the off-field turmoil, four key attackers — Thembi Kgatlana, Sinoxolo Cesane, Amogelang Motau and Hildah Magaia — did not travel to the DRC, reportedly due to administrative lapses by Safa.
Their absence was another reminder of the persistent organisational challenges undermining Banyana’s preparations.
Despite the chaos, Banyana are determined to keep their focus on the pitch.
Mbuli’s interim stewardship offers continuity in leadership, but the uncertainty surrounding Ellis’ future threatens to overshadow the team’s immediate ambitions.
For Ellis — who guided South Africa to their first WAFCON title in 2022 and the last 16 of the Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023 — the silence from SAFA over the situation has been deafening. As speculation mounts, Safa’s handling of the matter risks undoing the progress made in women’s football under Ellis’ reign — at a time when the nation can least afford further instability.
