The South African Football Association claim that they are seriously looking into changing Bafana Bafana, the nickname of their senior men’s national team.
Safa were embroiled in a legal battle for years with a company called Stanton Woodrush for the right to use the Bafana trademark on clothing, which they eventually lost in 2002.
The exclusive licence for the Bafana Bafana trademark is now owned by a company called Slam, in which Safa own a 50,1 percent shareholding. According to a report in May last year in The Times newspaper, however, the remaining 49,9 percent is owned by a sports marketer called Wayne Smidt.
In July of 2010, Parliament told Safa that they should either sort out their issues over the Bafana trademark, or find another nickname.
“If this thing cannot be solved and the businessman continues to gain through the adverts and promotions of the national team, then maybe we should change the name,” chairman of the Sports Portfolio Committee Butana Komphela told Safa, according to reports.
And Safa president Kirsten Nematandani said yesterday, after a meeting of Safa’s National Executive Committee: “We have agreed we need to look at the possibility of changing the name of the national team. A team has been created, headed by myself, Danny Jordaan and Alpha Mchunu (chairman of the referees committee), to engage in this process.
“We have been engaged in many legal battles on the issues of the rights over Bafana Bafana, and the association felt as a move forward that it was critical that this was looked into in the interests of the nation.”
Back in 2007, the then South African President Thabo Mbeki did suggest a name change for Bafana Bafana, but his reasoning was to do with the actual name, as opposed to the marketing rights.
“What kind of a name (Bafana Bafana) is it? I don’t think it is fit for a senior national team or for the hosts of the 2010 World Cup,” Mbeki said on Metro FM radio.
The Bafana name change was the most interesting aspect of yesterday’s mainly rather dull NEC meeting.
Sedibe did say that Safa hoped to have a permanent new CEO in place by April 1, following the departure of Leslie Sedibe.
“Pinky Lehoko will serve as acting CEO from February 1 to the end of March. We hope that by February 8 we will have finalised the interview process.
“We have put together a panel to do that. “We are even engaging outside experts in the fields of finance, marketing and law.
“If all goes well, a person will commence as soon as possible, but in most cases, jobs require a month’s notice. By April 1, someone should be occupying the position.”
Nematandani said that Safa had assigned a team, led by Jordaan, to investigate the process of a new broadcast deal, with the current deal with the SABC coming to a close at the end of March.
Safa also appear to have tied up a new kit deal with Puma, set to be announced tomorrow.
“The association has gone into an agreement with a technical sponsor, and we’ll have a press conference on Monday.
“It’s to do with Puma,” said Nematandani.
Safa are also, according to their president, looking for a new piece of land to buy.
“We are looking at acquiring a piece of land, this property (Safa House) is with the public works,” said Nematandani. - Sunday Independent
