“Pay Up or Shut Down”: SA Football Academies Demand Action on Solidarity Fees

Two of South Africa’s most respected football academies have issued an urgent plea to professional clubs: pay what you owe, or risk shutting down the future of South African football.

The School of Excellence (SOE) and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) say they are on the brink of collapse because some PSL clubs are failing to pay mandatory development and solidarity fees, payments that are supposed to go to youth academies when a player signs a professional contract or is transferred.

Unpaid and Unprotected

Under both FIFA and SAFA regulations, when a professional player is signed or sold, a portion of that transfer fee, or a set development amount, is meant to be paid to the youth clubs that helped develop them. But these rules are widely ignored, according to the academies.

“It’s not a favour, it’s a requirement,” says Mojalefa Mathebula, Football Manager at SOE. “But some clubs act like they don’t owe us anything, and SAFA isn’t enforcing the rules.”

RESA’s Xolani Mathumbo agrees: “We’ve also been victims. Without those payments, academies like ours can’t survive.”

Cracks in the System

The issue isn’t new; it’s been getting worse over the years. Even though SAFA introduced the MySAFA registration platform in 2019 to better track player data and payments, enforcement has been minimal.

In fact, FIFA once estimated that 80% of solidarity payments globally go unpaid. And in South Africa, many feel that number is even higher.

Mathebula believes part of the problem is conflict of interest: “Some people in SAFA also own or run clubs. That makes it harder for them to act decisively.”

When the Funding Stops

The School of Excellence, which once received R2 million in 2017 from the sale of Phakamani Mahlambi to Al Ahly, is now in serious financial trouble. With their main funder, Transnet, pulling out after more than 30 years, SOE has resorted to crowdfunding just to cover basics.

“Essentials are running out,” says Mathebula. “We’re not asking for donations. We’re asking for what is owed to us.”

He believes the PSL and SAFA must set up a joint trust account where all development fees are automatically deposited, preventing clubs from skipping payments and ensuring that youth academies are protected.

Social Reaction: Fans Say “Enough Is Enough”

Football fans, former academy players, and even some local coaches have taken to social media in support of the academies.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “SA football is broken. You can’t build a Bafana team if you kill the pipeline.”

Others called for SAFA and the PSL to publish transparent lists of which clubs have paid their fees and which haven’t.

What’s at Stake?

Without urgent reform, the entire development pipeline in South Africa is at risk. “If this doesn’t change,” Mathebula warns, “we’ll lose the next generation of players before they even kick a ball professionally.”

This isn’t just a story about money; it’s about the future of football in South Africa. And right now, the academies that make that future possible are being left behind.

Also read: “A Warrior and a Fighter”: Bayanda Walaza Blazes to FISU Gold in Germany

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Source: SABC Sport

Featured Image: American Heart Association