Johannesburg – Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has blamed the South African Football Association (SAFA) for the delayed implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.
In videos that went Viral on Monday, 24 August 2026, McKenzie asks SAFA what happened to the R13 million his department donated for VAR.
The sports, arts and culture minister suggested the implementation of VAR was being delayed by corrupt individuals at SAFA, who he said do not want to see the technology implemented in SA football.
Minister McKenzie explained that FIFA rules require that the implementation of the VAR system must be done through SAFA.
He said his department funded research trips for journalists, administrators, and a team to Spain and the UK to compare systems, then provided the money for initial implementation and referee training.
“I then took R13 million, and I gave it to Safa, and I can tell you now that’s where I can’t do more as a minister,” he stated.
Minister McKenzie said he gave SAFA a 21-day ultimatum to either implement VAR or return the R13 million his department donated.
SAFA was yet to respond.
