"Don't Waste Your Money!": Banyana Banyana Legend Janine Van Wyk Warns Teammates to Not Waste WAFCON Bonus

• Legendary Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk had stark words of warning for her teammates amid the euphoria of winning the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
• Van Wyk said that the monetary bonuses they have all received must be put to good use
• This comes amid increasingly loud cries for equal pay between the women's and men's and national teams

Banyana Banyana might be swimming in cash following their 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations triumph, but captain Janine van Wyk has approached this windfall with caution.

The legendary 35-year-old defender warned her teammates to use their bonuses wisely while local women's football still tries to woo Corporate South Africa for investment.

Van Wyk said to SowetanLIVE:

“I have already told them [her teammates] that they need to invest the money and not buy fancy things like clothes and expensive cars. They must look at getting things like properties because life is not about now but about what you want in the future.

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“I will be definitely investing mine but I haven’t really thought about what kind of investment I’ll use it on. We must always try to be smart when it comes to money. These are just bonuses not salaries, so there’s no need to go all out.”

Sport24 reported that the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture injected R5.8-million into the R9.2-million pot of gold that was promised to the team if it returned from Morocco with the trophy. This means that each member of the squad will take home approximately R577 000 from the R15-million bonus.

Coach Desiree Ellis and co-captain Refiloe Jane went on record to encourage investors to focus on women's football in the country if the concept of equal pay between women and men's teams was to ever be realised.

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Several thousand supporters welcome Banyana Banyana home at OR Tambo Airport after 2022 WAFCON victory

African champions Banyana Banyana were welcomed home to OR Tambo International Airport by a joyously proud crowd of South Africans this morning.

As reported by Sports Brief, South Africa defeated Morocco 2-1 in the final of the 2022 Women's Africa Cup in Rabat last Saturday, ensuring a maiden senior continental title for the country.

In terms of international football tournaments, it was just the second time a national team had won a competition, with Bafana Bafana having done so in 1996.