Football in Cape Town and the broader Western Cape is in tatters! – and the time has come to call a spade a spade.
The time has also come to hold the custodians of football, and those who are voted into power, to account.
The biggest question the football public needs answered is, why does Safa Cape Town not come to the aid of those very same member clubs in their hour of need?
The region has a president in Bennett Bailey, someone with loads of clout, as he is also the vice president of Safa National. Surely this has to count for something. Or does it only matter for personal gain?
I am asking this because, for the love of the beautiful game, and more importantly, for justice: what has Bailey really done to show his support for the 14 Sasol Ladies clubs that are embroiled in a court case with Safa Western Cape for almost two years?
Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
You mean to tell me that Bailey could not have pulled rank and used his influence to the benefit of these clubs? Yes, we are fully aware that he does not see eye to eye with Safa WC’s Tankiso Modipa, but what about the clubs?
What is even more scandalous is the fact that instead of Bailey throwing his weight and support behind these females, his organisation opted to ‘sanction’ a rebel league called the Camisa League for the ladies to play in and keep them happy and occupied.
How skewed can one’s priorities be?
Furthermore, Bailey’s absence in support for Santos FC, who were recently expelled from the ABC Motsepe League by Safa WC, is another indication that football is not dear to his heart at all.
Bailey of all people should know the role The People’s Team played during the dark days of apartheid.
Then, there is also the issue with his treasurer, Wayne Weitz, whom he should have publicly apologized to, according to his own DC Committee – up until today, nothing has been forthcoming.
Let’s also not forget the Palestine issue that has been looming like a dark cloud over his head. Another legal battle is set to unfold in due time. Look, if there is nothing to hide, be transparent and show the public your hands are clean.
Not to mention the ‘Home of Cape Town Football,’ the Athlone Stadium, which is in jeopardy after the City of Cape Town announced its plans for mixed-use development on one part of the stadium’s parking area.
What strategy or plan did Bailey conjure up to show the City of Cape Town that they will not be moved or surrender a precinct which served as a beacon of hope for many during the struggle – nothing, zilch!
Also, one can question the region’s motives for taking the Coke Cup games in recent seasons to some dangerous areas on the Cape Flats, like Khayelitsha. Why?
Alas! We all know why, as everything centres around the elections next year, and it is no secret that many financially struggling LFA’s have already been appeased with the fact that their historical debt was written off at the region’s last Congress.
The region, under Bailey’s leadership, has also lost the Masita sponsorship worth over R3 million due to their inability to show their stakeholders that there is value in the partnership and a return on its investment. So, too, is the Hollywoodbets sponsor for the Third Division, something of the past.
Needless to say, the biggest sporting organisation, with more than 200,000 registered members, does not have a permanent home and operates out of a garage, underlining their ‘koesiester mentality.’
Safa CT’s podcast, which, according to many of its own delegates, is just another glorified platform to stroke their own ego, has shown how out of touch with reality Bailey really is and where his priorities lie.
Why did he not use this platform to address pertinent issues, like the battle between Safa WC and the Sasol Ladies’ teams? Or even to address the Santos debacle? Not to mention the costs to host it – certainly money that could have been more wisely spent.
Bailey himself emphasized that it is election time and that he is geared up for that, while football in the Metropole is suffering.
With Bailey, it’s all about smooth lip service and no action. Instead of being active on social media, chastising and criticizing others, focus on your very own organization and show some love and respect for those in need of help!
Bailey’s cheap swipe and attack on the print media at their annual awards last week once again shows how he meddles with things that aren’t relevant to the needs of his members.
Bailey can discredit and lambaste the media – and not the palookas he has wrapped around his finger – as much as he likes, but the fact of the matter is, the media, also known as the fourth estate, the watchdogs of society, is going nowhere!
And let me emphasize and make it crystal clear, this is not a personal attack on Bailey, but rather what he stands for – and judging by his actions and what he has portrayed and displayed to the football public, it depicts a sad tale that he is not for his affiliates, members, and the greater good of football.
How should clubs have felt when he announced that they had generated R5 million in revenue? Where will that money be spent?
Time for change is really needed now more than ever to rescue what should be rescued. However, the sad reality is that Bailey already has the majority of LFA’s in his pocket – and this circus affair will probably continue for the next four years – or will it?
3 Responses
I have always maintained that Bennet Bailey and Danny Jordaan were absolutely useless as leaders. They both are just all talk and no substance. There is no formulae available to describe these 2 coloureds who know where they come from and still have the audacity to throw their own kind under the bus. You could not have articulated your composition on SAFA Vice Pres. WC any better. On all the chat groups I have been on and all sports events I have attended the same topic of SAFA WC is top of the agenda. I can write a library on SAFA and its all negative as I know where I come from and it just pains me for what these guys are doing to soccer around the country especially for Coloureds and Indians. Period. I am just livered discussing these issues.
A well summary of the situation in SAFA CT,like stated the same person was the creator of a black and coloured block,I also can’t understand how LFA leaders support a President with no interest in Grassroots level,or does his support base also benefits from it, Football is really administered for Name and Fame,sad to so that there is members of yester year that allows this to happen.
Of course the divide and rule modus operandi is still used as a tool for nefarious reasons. Create racially defined blocks and obfuscate the real issues. Throw a little bone here and there and you have your vote. Even the LFAs in Khayelitsha, depending which one is authentic, are and have been at loggerheads for more than a decade and this has worked wonders to get confused votes.
Time to call a spade a spade and remove self serving so-called leaders, because they are not leaders, period, or continue suffering and destroying our youth’s future at the alter of self enrichment. Mabahambe!!!