In
the aftermath of the Pitso Mosimane / South African Football Association (SAFA)
circus, it is easy to donate a blind eye or a deaf eye to other pressing issues
in South African Football.
It
is unfortunate that, once more, the honourable Iron-Duke (Dr. Irvin Khoza) is at
the gist of my ink - so involved with football, that Khoza cannot avoid making
news even when it’s presumed there’s none to make. It’s not my fault; it comes
with Khoza’s territory.
Following
his utterances about the R1 billion sponsorship deal by Vodacom to Kaizer Chiefs
and Orlando Pirates, Jose Ferreira has since vacated his post at Matsatsantsa
(SuperSport United). Happy Ntshingila and Imtiaz Patel have distanced
themselves from the comments made by Ferreira, but if one takes a closer look
at all these developments, something doesn’t add up.
Ntshingila
and Patel are well known cronies of Khoza, and looking at the sponsorship deals
in all sporting codes of the country, we are bound to have corruption and I
suspect the two gentlemen were “buying the faces” Premier Soccer League (PSL)
in their support of Khoza to safeguard their own investment in the Premier Soccer
League.
Furthermore,
Jose is rumoured to be joining a team that often fights a lonely cause against
the Premier Soccer League’s often backward decisions, Bidvest Wits.
Enter
John Comitis, this is a man who made a name for himself as an opposer to the Premier
Soccer League, then the TV rights deal was struck, since then he has been
absolutely quiet. Remember, he received R3.5 million, which he claims it’s his
personal asset, in the process, initiating a well documented series of legal
battles with the Constanthinious.
I
can’t shake off the feeling that Comitis has been bought to keep silent. Mato
Madlala never complains of anything, how is it possible that a prominent
executive can be a ‘yes man’ to every Premier Soccer League decision? Kaizer
Motaung often takes a diplomatic stance.
Jomo Sono is ridiculed whenever he attacks the
Premier Soccer League. Patrice Motsepe has distanced himself from the Premier Soccer
League, for fear that his links to Khoza and Pirates would be exposed.
The
likes of Mike Mokoena, David Thidiela, Pat Malabela, Vincent Sokhela, Goolam
Allie, Farook Kadodia, Sturu Pasiya, Jimmy Augousti and Leon Prins are there to
agree and rubber stamp every Premier Soccer League decision in the boardroom
and when things backfire, they run to the media with half-truths hoping to
manipulate us to believe they are victims.
In
conclusion, what I’m saying is, our football is centralised around one
individual and all but few officials are corrupt .Brian Joffe, Gavin Hunt,
Roger De Sa and Jose Ferreira are fighting a losing battle.
By Sidwell 'Feesh'
Francis
