The South African Football Association (Safa) reported a minimal loss of R2.9m for 2022 at its ordinary congress on Sunday.

CEO Tebogo Motlanthe said the organisation resolved to finally appoint permanent junior national team coaches, which have been lacking in recent years, and will announce a new sponsorship for Bafana Bafana and the fourth division soon.

 “The CFO [Gronie Hluyo] explained we have incurred a R2.9m loss. As a norm our finances will be published so if people have questions from those finances they can feel free to contact us,” Motlanthe said after the congress at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

“Also key was Sondlo [Chartered] Accountants, who deal with our books, took the stage and said they found nothing wrong.”

Safa expect a financial boost when they announce a new sponsor for Bafana. South African Breweries’ more than 20-year sponsorship of Bafana was reduced from a title deal earlier this year.

“The emphasis even from the NEC [national executive committee] is to come with new ways of generating income,” Motlanthe said.

“The CFO has put [forward] many proposals and the NEC has put an ad hoc committee together to say, ‘Make this into a concrete plan’.

“All of us see the economy is not what it used to be and traditional sponsorships are no longer the way to go.

“We will be announcing two key sponsors, one for Bafana and one for the regional leagues [fourth division]. But the mandate is to not only look at traditional sponsorships.”

Motlanthe said Safa wants to look at the low income it receives in broadcast revenue from its deal with the SABC.

The congress followed Safa’s two-day football workshop/indaba, where among “highlights were the TD [Safa technical director Walter Steenbok] presented his national developmental plan, and members got a chance to participate in that plan”.

“Once it is adopted by the NEC he will come back and address it with you [the media]. It speaks about the planning of football from the junior ranks up to the Under-23s.

“Also his preferred organigram [was presented], which we are going to [discuss further], but we have all agreed it is high time the focus changes now goes to the technical [side of the organisation].

“Most of you [the media] have asked about the issue of junior coaches. We have addressed the matter of junior coaches — it is just a matter of the TD saying which coach he wants.

“We want a head of junior coaches, but we need to get permanent people dealing with the junior teams.

“We have already advertised for a women’s football manager and should make that appointment soon.

“The workshop also said it’s important to look at income generation, so the sooner we get the commercial director the better; that also has been advertised. Within this month we will finalise those two key appointments.

“The other position the TD spoke about was the developmental officer who will be focusing on schools. I will sit down with the TD and find a way of getting that one.

“The other highlight was the overwhelming endorsement of all the members to say we must bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. It was an NEC decision and today was endorsed by the congress.”

Motlanthe said one of the goals of the workshop was to begin establishing the framework for strategic planning “that Fifa demands all federations must submit” to receive funding.

“That framework has been done and on March 15 we will be submitting the draft plan for FIFA’s comments and in June we will be submit the final proposal.”

“The workshop was very successful.”