WeeklySA_AdminLONG LIST OF GRIEVANCES:Memorandum includes asking FIFA to put the upcoming election of SA soccer mother body on hold.
By Masoja Cele
South African Football Association’s House was almost swarmed by the throngs of football legends and masters during a march to the football head-quarters in Nasrec.
On Thursday, South African Masters and Legends Football Association intruded the streets leading to the house of football to handover a stinging grievance memorandum to FIFA. The memorandum was received by SAFA COO Lydia Monyepao on behalf of FIFA. Leading the protesting delegation were Ephraim ‘’Shakes’’Mashaba, Irvin ‘’Pepe’’Dire and Jan ‘’Malombo’’Lichaba, all former football greats. Also in attendance among the massive crowd were South African football lovers who are in support of the federation protests.
In recent weeks, SAFA has been in the receiving end of the legends and masters frustration and anger. Recently, during the launch of Safa vice president Ria Ledwaba’s presidential campaign, former Bafana-Bafana coach Ephraim ‘’ Shakes’’ Mashaba lambasted Safa leadership for lack of leadership qualities. Mashaba who serves as the Gauteng Chairperson of legends and masters organisation rebuked Safa’s incumbent Danny Jordaan for lack of football expertise. Among others, the former Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows defender, cited stagnation of our football. He also mentioned the issue of cold attitude given to legends of the game.
Other legends to publicly vent their frustration to the direction of Safa includes Lucas ‘’Rhoo’’ Radebe, the outspoken Doctor ‘’16V’’ Khumalo and former Banyana Banyana captain Portia Modise. Radebe has lately hinted that he is interested in one day to govern the affairs of football in the country based on his vastly football experience of the game. While his ex-teammate at Kaizer Chiefs and at Bafana Bafana Khumalo openly threw his weight behind Ria Ledwaba’s presidential campaign. Khumalo also believes that local based football coaches should be considered for coaching roles within the Safa structures.
He also questioned the ignorance of Safa in overlooking legends like Radebe who is so highly adulate in Europe but play no role in our football. Modise has also added her voice and gave all her support for vice president Ria Ledawba’s campaign. She has pleaded for change in our football leadership.
The grievance document that was hand delivered to Safa house on Thursday contains sweltering disputes that frustrate Mzantsi football masses. Among them is the leadership of SAMFLA that was elected unprocedurally in 2013 when they crooked an ordinary meeting into an elective congress without having issued any notice of an election date. SAMFLA lastly held its election in 2013 and have been giving poor excuses ever since for not convening proper elections.
The leadership of the organisation has not presented its audited financial statements ever since they were elected nine years back. We escalated the matter to SAFA headquarters who tried to intervene, but their efforts have yielded no results. The Mother Body mandated that the congress should take place in 2019 but was also helpless when the inept leadership couldn’t follow proper procedure to convene the Congress. Nevertheless, our many appeals to Safa head office fell on deaf ears. Another sensitive issue listed in the document is the R20.8 million as honorarium to NEC members. Since 2010 Covid 19 put on hold all sporting programmes for two years. During that period there were no meetings nor Congresses scheduled by SAFA. Surprisingly, even after showing a profit of one million Rand (R1m) while still owing regions more than R50 million, the Safa NEC is able numerate themselves R20.8 million as honorarium for no work during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Again, Safa remains the only country in the world that doesn’t deploy former professional players in the development structures.The current South African professional football league rates amongst the top 10 in the world and more than 90/% of their coaches are locals who played professional football. Yet, Safa cannot do the same in its structures for former players who are best equipped to coach in the highest level after receiving their coaching licenses. But, Safa doesn’t create such opportunities for them. We have therefore request FIFA to appoint a commission to investigate the above together with other complaints submitted to FIFA by other victims of the incumbent leadership. We further request FIFA to put the upcoming election of SAFAon hold and to appoint a normalization committee while the investigation is taking place. We call on FIFA, CAF and COSAFA and the South African government to closely pay attentionto the abuse of powqer in the South African Football Association and its members, especially the South African Masters and Legends Football Association.
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