Patrice Motsepe: South Africa should be a football powerhouse

It is the first time in 23 years that Bafana have qualified for the World Cup directly through the qualifiers, having last appeared in 2002 prior to hosting the tournament in 2010. 

According to Motsepe, South Africa has the potential to be a football powerhouse on the continent, but only if football stakeholders work together to achieve that.  

"Of all of the 54 countries in Africa, I'm very proud, I love each and every one of them. And the nations that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup, I'm enormously proud," said Motsepe at the SANEF Annual Fundraiser Gala Dinner in Johannesburg.

"I will say something about South Africa that I say about each and every one of the 54 nations – this country has enormous talent, enormous God-given ability, and all of the stakeholders have to work together.

"South Africa should be a football powerhouse, it has that potential, it has that ability, and I repeat here in South Africa what I say in every one of the 54 nations, the good work that has gotten Bafana into the World Cup must continue.

"And South African stakeholders must build on that – football has a very special meaning, it's an enormous sense of joy, it brings our country together, and brings a sense of unity among all our people.

"So it's a moment of pride and everybody must work together to be even more successful and have greater success and growth in future."

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With the nine World Cup-bound teams guaranteed at least $10 million (R174 million) from FIFA for qualifying for the tournament, Motsepe weighed in on whether CAF will be adding to that in preparation fees, as has been done previously.

"It's very important, many of the government are already engaged in giving support because it's a matter of enormous pride for many of those countries, and we are also engaged from a CAF perspective," he added.

"I know that there are resources that are forthcoming to those [qualified teams] from FIFA, and partly why it has been very important in Africa to make sure there's financial sustainability and independence is to ensure we mobilise the very best to represent the continent and make us proud."