South Africa’s athletes are winning on the world stage, but they’re paying for it out of their own pockets. From R120,000 tournament fees to covering official staff costs, we look into why national teams are forced to crowdfund while big-budget spending happens elsewhere. Daily Maverick’s Annemieke Thomatis explains.
Reporting by: Annemieke Thomatis
Filmed by: Joel Seboa
Edited by: Anda Tolibadi
Produced by: Emilie Gambade
Creative input by: Malibongwe Tyilo
Sub-edited by: Ian Wolstenholme
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Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-23-sas-sports-funding-crisis-exposed-as-athletes-pay-the-price/?dm_source=blocks-horizontal&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-27-artistic-swimmers-expected-to-pay-r120000-for-junior-championships-in-hungary/?dm_source=blocks-horizontal&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform
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0:00 A hockey team funded, but only after public pressure
0:58 Zulu speaks up: the R68,000 reality
1:39 Where the R31 million went
2:14 LIV Golf and the bigger spending picture
2:44 The federation funding patchwork
3:08 Swimming SA: the cost keeps climbing
3:58 The real takeaway
