The reaction of South Africa's Minister of Sport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, to Fifa's decision to get involved in the 'Bafana Match-Fixing Scandal' is totally confusing.
If you are head of sport in this country and there have been claims that in your biggest and most important sport to the people of South Africa, there has been match-fixing, surely it's a concern. If three years down the line, nothing has been done about it, surely you would welcome help from outside to get things moving?
If you're not up to speed with the situation, some of Bafana's warm-up games before the 2010 World Cup are alleged to have been fixed through collusion with a betting syndicate. The South African government promised Fifa that they would deal with the matter, investigate the allegations and that our President Jacob Zuma himself would apply his thoughts to the matter. Well, evidently, Mr President is still applying his mind to the situation and one wonders whether, if these allegations had been raised over a friendly game at Nkandla, perhaps they would have been dealt with, with a little more urgency.
Now investigations into match-fixing in South African football are not uncommon. One remembers 'Operation Dribble' which was meant to be South Africa's watershed moment in uncovering match-fixing in South African football. We're still waiting for the outcome of that investigation.
Then there was the Ace Ncobo saga, where evidently then PSL General Manager Ace Ncobo and the PSL agreed to part ways after Ncobo raised red flags about match-fixing in South African football, more specifically about referees... a department run by Safa. What was a little concerning was that Ncobo took a lie detector test when possibly the persons he implicated in the match-fixing had nothing to lose by taking lie detector tests to rubber stamp the pureness of our local game. Yet Safa was quiet on the issue and that too has been swept under the carpet.
Mr Mbalula's outburst clearly shows someone with a lot of passion and pride, but is it not a little misdirected? Given Mr Mbalula's passion for the game, should the wrath directed at Fifa not be directed at Safa instead? Should Mr Mbalula not be demanding the reasons from Safa as to why just three years after hosting the World Cup - three years after getting more money than they can count - that Bafana haven't qualified for the World Cup and in so doing let this nation down? If the Minister of Sport in this country cannot see the importance that football plays in the lives of the majority of South Africans, then maybe his eye isn't really on the ball at all?
That Itumeleng Khune, a Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper beat out Chad le Clos, a world record holder and Olympic Gold winning swimmer to the South African Sports Star of the Year award says it all. That award is basically a popularity contest and when you pit any sport against soccer in this country, you are going to come second. And that is surely an indication that soccer needs to be taken more seriously.
For the record, I agree with Khune winning the award, because I believe it's harder to become a Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper in this country than it is to become South Africa's best swimmer when you consider the barriers to entry of these two sports. Every single kid in this country has the ability to play football on a field or dusty street corner and so potentially everyone has the chance to become a Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper. How many young black kids in South Africa have a pool in their back garden and want to be the next Chad le Clos?
Some may argue that Le Clos isn't just a top South African swimmer but among the best in the world. I would say the same of Itumeleng Khune. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that when it comes to distribution, he's the best in his position. Not to diminish Chad le Clos' achievements in any way.
So to Mr Fikile Mbalula, I say let an independent investigation take place. Let the findings be revealed for all of us to see. I can tell you now that potential Bafana sponsors will have far more faith in Bafana and Safa if Fifa were to be the ones declaring them innocent on all charges rather than an in-house team of investigators or government officials.
Instead of match-fixing, focus on fixing our beautiful game. Let's find a reason to put our faith back in Safa and give our future Khunes a national team to strive to be part of.
Shapa, Clint
