Earlier in the week the company that owns the trademark “Bafana Bafana” said that SAFA had decided that it would, in fact, be changing the name.

But SAFA president, Kirsten Nematandani, said on Tuesday that SAFA hasn’t talked to Wayne Smidt, the owner of Stanton Woodrush (Pty) Ltd, as apparently he’s ignoring their calls.

Nematendani said:

When we got his (Smidt’s) contact number, we gave him a call but his phone was off, and he has never replied back to the numerous messages that we left for him.

Nematendani then went on to say that he was not willing to comment on whether or not SAFA would fork out the cash to buy the trademark. He said that SAFA would issue a statement later on Tuesday, but media officer Matlhomola Morake, whose job it would be to issue the statement, said he knew nothing of it. How unusual.

The name change has also left a number of politician types scrambling to make excuses for reasons as to why the name should probably change. Sports minister Fikile Mbalula and SAFA vice-president, Danny Jordaan have both chimed in with, in my opinion, half baked reasons as to why the name should change.

The 30 odd million Rand that it would cost to buy the trademark is small potatoes for these guys. SAFA spent millions on getting Carlos Alberto Parreira back for the world cup and spend millions more on flash cars and all sorts of stuff none of them need.

This matter seems to be about losing face, and SAFA doesn’t seem to want to budge. How unusual.