Ever since his childhood, Alpheus Thantsha's dream was to help kids especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds to realise their dreams of playing football at professional level. His dedication to the game gave birth to the idea of him starting a football academy. For those close to him, it came as no surprise that, in his early 20s, he already had his own academy for boys in Tshwane despite his limited resources, having arrived in the city from Limpopo with no substantial funding. At such a young age, he was already sending players overseas, with one of his success stories being that of Tebogo Letlhake whom he managed to send on trial in Spain. In the end things didn't work out as planned for the player who retired at Polokwane City Rovers. The journey hasn't been without any hiccups for Thantsha as he narrates in this interview with Soccer Laduma's Masebe Qina that he has had to live in constant fear of losing his life in recent times. The Polokwane-born man believes that his outspoken nature doesn't always sit well with some people in the industry, including those who hold higher positions in the country's football administration. Sit back and enjoy this no–holds–barred interview as the father of two tells his sad and terrifying story, including allegations of molestation labelled against him and being hit by a car in what he regards as an attempt to silence him.
Masebe Qina: My brother, we understand you've got a story to tell about your hardships in the football industry. The floor is yours.
Alpheus Thantsha: Yeah, to be honest, I don't know where to start. But I've been in football for quite a long time. I've dealt with a lot of players, young and old, and others made it while others didn't. In the football industry, my brother, a lie is told and circulated all over social media. People read the lie, get used to it, and because of social media, it spreads very quickly to a point whereby people believe it to be the truth. As long as it makes sense to them, it becomes the truth to them. So, a person like me, having been in football for so long, I have dealt with different people and I'm talking about coaches, agents and players. So, there have been problems after problems for me, despite all the good work that I've done.
MQ: Make us understand what you are talking about.
AT: There was a time when I was kidnapped by my own driver that I hired. I almost died my brother. Then there came a time whereby I worked with some very big coaches who made me believe that they were there to help me. But that was not their intention. Their intention was to steal the academy that I had because, at some point, my academy was very, very good. I don't want to divulge people's names, and I don't want to get to that point. What I wanted to share with you and your readers is that I'm going through a lot right now. I've helped many players, I took them from the dust. I took them from rural areas, and I don't think that, at this point in time, there's anyone who does it like me. I don't meet players along the way and say they are my players. I go deep in the rural areas and pick players from there. I bring them here. I show them the light and then big agents come and just snatch them from the teams and, you know, you can't say much.
MQ: That must be demoralising.
AT: But the sad part of it is that when that happens, if you approach them to try and want to talk to them or fight, if I should put it plainly out there, that's when they start to pitch stories and start motivating players. After so many years of working with soccer players, there have been stories now that have been doing the rounds that I sleep with players. How do I sleep with a player? I mean, I've got a daughter who is three years old, and I've got a son who is six years old. Imagine when things like this go out into the public that a father of two is doing things like that. I know that such things happen but then they must not attach me to them.
MQ: Those are serous allegations. Why would you be accused of that?
AT: How it works is that most of these players, when they fail Mr Qina that's when they go out and start telling stories like that. You ask yourself a question, after so many years in the industry, why are these things coming out now? There are coaches out there who take players' money, but like I said, I don't want to mention names. They promise these players contracts, and when players are desperate, they end up getting to a point whereby they do anything. When the problems start, the players come to you, and you are the man in the middle. When you are the man in the middle, all the missiles come pointing at you and then you appear as if you are the wrong person. When you go out there to try and fight these kinds of things, that's when they promise players things in exchange for those players, ruining your name, and ruining your reputation. I've worked for so many years to build my reputation, and now it's getting ruined because of people who are pushing their own agendas. If I start mentioning people's names, my brother, I won't be safe. I fear for my life on a daily basis. I fear for my life because I'm a victim of many things. There are people that have been tasked to kill me. I will just put it very plainly and say just last year I had to discharge a firearm because I was almost killed. It was football people and there are secrets that we have, you know. If those kinds of things come out, then they know that it can only be one of three people and then your life is in danger.
MQ: You are saying it was "football people." Can you tell us more about that?
AT: Hey, Mr Qina, you will be very surprised. A young man of 36 years old as myself, I'm being targeted by the very top bosses. In 2017, I was made to believe that my development was one of the best in the country. I was then approached by a coach who suggested to me that his brother should come and help me in the development with coaching the boys. The offer was so tempting, and it sounded so good and because I wanted the best for the boys and their careers, I agreed. After that, something happened whereby one of the players gave the coach's brother R8 000 without my knowledge. I only found out about it when the very same player was dropped from the team. I reported the matter to the PA of the chairperson.
MQ: What was your next step?
AT: It was agreed that we should meet and at the time I was not driving, and I used Taxify. I got off at a certain filling station closer to where the said meeting was supposed to take place for me to get water and some refreshments. The guys called again to ask for my whereabouts, and I told them that I was at the garage. As I was walking out of the garage, a white Polo came and hit me and my phone and the books I was carrying fell on the ground. They took the files I had and went off and that's how I realised that I was targeted. I went to the hospital. From there, I reported back to the club what happened but since then they never came back to me for a follow up and things like that. I couldn't think of anything but to me it was a hit, but a hit gone wrong because I didn't die.
MQ: That's really bad and we are sorry to hear about that.
AT: It didn't end there. In 2022, I was kidnapped for the same matter because it was a matter that I was pursuing very, very highly. But because of all these things that were happening, I decided to let go. I could see that I was not safe. Even now my brother, I am not safe. And there are people in high positions of this country's football, and some of them call themselves lawyers, and they are targeting me because I know the secrets. I told them the stories and I'm being very honest with you. I know of someone at a certain organisation that is supposed to be helping in football development in the country who is sleeping with soccer players. I even reported the matter at the organisation. He is going around and scouting players and for him, it is easy to promise the boys certain things in exchange of sexual favours. People know about what I am telling you and the only time they act is when Mr. Alpheus Thantsha is accused of this and that. They come running for me.
MQ: Now these are serious allegations. Do you have evidence to support what you say?
AT: I've got proof of a lot of things. But I'm trying to protect myself right now. The only time I can tell everything would be when I'm out of this country. I've got a lot of truth to tell. As we are speaking right now, I'm writing a book and I want to publish it because this is the truth behind South African football. There are a lot of things that are happening. People like you who are journalists, when they give you a story, they give you a story that involves a small dog. They will never give you a story that involves a big dog. If you look at certain television programmes that are there to expose wrongdoing, they can never write about these people at these big organisations. They are only targeting young people like me because they want to destroy a young black person because then they know, if you destroy a young black person, no one is going to care. But if you report about these bosses and they know that now even their lives are in danger. So now the question then remains, why are we the young people and the development coaches are being targeted? I'm just a young agent, my brother, and I'm not making millions from football. I'm actually pushing my own solar business which brings me money but why am I targeted?
MQ: For someone your age, you've been involved in football for a long time. When did you start and what makes you to be a target as you claim to be one?
AT: Yes, I think that's a very good question. I used to work for a certain company in Cape Town. I came to football after one young man called Sinesipho Mali, and you should know him by now, he is one of the big guys that are working at SAFA and the national teams. He contacted me to ask for a sponsorship for his club that he was involved with. I flew from Cape Town to sponsor those kids. I fell in love with the passion that the kids had. And I thought, what more can I do? That's when I started an academy in Pretoria called Tshwane Highlanders Football Academy. That's when I came into football and that was in 2011. Nobody knew about me that time and I had none of these issues that seem to follow me now. I ran my academy successfully and I did wonders. In 2012, I got my first breakthrough when I took a young man called Tebogo Letlhake to Spain and he did wonders, and my problems started there. I remember that before Tebogo went to Spain, I had gone to SAFA to ask for a sponsorship in the form a pair of tracksuits. I was told that they didn't have a budget for tracksuits and that I didn't have a right to send a player out of the country without their consent. I disagreed with that because I was running a private entity and that gave me a right to do whatever I needed to do with my academy. From there, I became the enemy of many people up until today. The biggest problem that people always have with me is that I tell the truth. I don't beat around the bush before I say something, I tell it as it is. If I feel that something is wrong, I mention that it is wrong, and there are a lot of wrong things that are happening and it's just that they are being avoided.
MQ: Alpheus, we thank you for coming forward to tell your story as scary as it sounds, and we appreciate the honesty. We wish you everything of the best in your life and career.
AT: There's nothing that I have told you that I cannot prove. I've got evidence that can substantiate my story, and anything that backfires on me, I'm willing to face the consequences. Thank you very much.
