On 03 August 2021 SAFA released a statement that shows its disapproval following the dismissal of Marawa at the SABC.

Marawa has been on our TV screens and Radio for years. SAFA is an official partner with the SABC for broadcasting. Marawa has played a major role in South African sports broadcast and the development of our football, in his shows he has invited great sports analysts in Africa during FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League.

He has made TV audiences make sense of the game. Many of his fans took it to social media expressing how the sacking of Marawa at the SABC is unfair.

In a statement SAFA said “Robert Marawa has over the years excelled as a major contributor to the analysis, insight and debate of football on the African continent and global stage.

His shows have regularly attracted wide-range expert views and opinions that evidently contributed to the growth of South African football.

It is unfortunate that as we celebrate the right to freedom of speech and diversity of opinions, the main sport broadcasters in the country Supersport and SABC find that such diverse opinions are not to be tolerated on their platforms.

Robert Marawa has a proven track record both nationally and continentally and has delivered major service to both local, CAF and FIFA platforms. He has used his extensive influence to enrich football debates in our country and the African continent at large.

South Africa and its broadcast platforms must show greater tolerance to the diversity of opinions.

SAFA, as the football governing body in the country, will approach SABC to discuss this key aspect to the future of football in this country.”