Safa and Shakes Mashaba locked in negotiations

According to reports, the South African Football Association (Safa) are set to name Stuart Baxter as the new coach of the South African national team.

Bafana Bafana have been without a coach since Shakes Mashaba was sacked in December of 2016.

Subsequently, Mashaba took Safa to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), citing unfair dismissal. The case has been long-drawn-out but with the announcement of the new coach imminent, Safa has offered the 66-year-old a settlement.

It has been reported that Safa CEO Dennis Mumble met with CCMA commissioner Hlalele Molotsi over the prospect of settling the issue. Safa tabled an initial offer of R1 million which was rejected by the Mashaba camp who are demanding R3 million in compensation from South African football’s mother body.

On Thurdsday, Mashaba’s lawyer Claudio Bollo and Safa’s lawyer Mark Thompson, both confirmed that negotiations were ongoing.

"The parties are talking to see if we can't resolve the case amicably," Bollo told The Times.

"The meeting was to see if there could be a possible solution to the case and negotiations will continue while we are continuing with the case."

Thompson has also expressed Safa’s desire to settle the case but admitted that they are yet to come to an agreement.

"Definitely, there were settlement talks that are common with these proceedings but we could not find each other," Thompson said.

"Matters like these are never off the table and in the spirit of reconciliation the parties must always look to see where they can find each other," Thompson added.

Although, when quizzed about the details of the negotiations, Safa CEO Mumble remained tight-lipped about the case.

"It is not something that I want to comment on as you can see that the case is going on," Mumble said.

"We don't want to compromise the case by speculating on which direction it would take.

"Let the process follow a particular course and if there are discussions about a settlement we will face those discussions and deal with them," he concluded.