Football shall be played!
This slogan, apparently coined by the Safa Cape Town president, Bennett Bailey, unfortunately only applies to the males in the beautiful game.
For the mere fact that it has now been more than a year since the 14 Sasol Ladies’ team played sanctioned and competitive football as they were embroiled in a legal battle with Safa Western Cape – and The Buffalo was nowhere to be seen – now, one is not referring to the two minions The Buffalo sent to represent the region at a court proceeding.
Replacing it with a rebel league, called the Camisa League, which was an idea of Miles October and Yusrie Solomons. It was unsanctioned, but a set-up in which the ladies could at least keep active and compete – albeit just for fun.
And instead of standing firm and using his influence to fight Safa WC, Bailey chose to ignore the ladies’ struggle, as it wasn’t going to benefit him at all, hence he was nowhere to be seen or heard.
Not a single press release or statement was made to at least show that they are taking heed and are sensitive towards the matter – yet they sent out ‘dozens’ of press releases to inform the public that they made a criminal case against No Bones with Jones, even though no criminal offense was committed – this showed up Safa CT’s incompetence and where their priorities really lie.
Not to mention when Santos was being bullied by Safa WC, Bailey was also nowhere to be seen or heard. Not even a few phone calls or messages of moral support to Santos’ chairman, Goolam Allie – zilch!
And not supporting the 14 ladies’ teams that were in dire need of support from the region, was arguably the biggest travesty committed under Bailey’s leadership.
Just imagine how disillusioned Rygersdal Ladies must have been in recent months after they were destined to win promotion to the Sasol League, however the region and the system failed them.
Now, these are mostly teenagers, who have their lives and (football) careers ahead of them. Some have opted to focus on aspects in life that matters more than to sit back and wonder when and how they will ever realise their dreams.
But check the worry in Safa CT’s eyes as they show no care at all. These so-called administrators and politicians, when they stand on podiums or platforms lecturing others about “a child in sport is a child out of court.” but if one looks closely, who are the ones in court, it’s the very same hypocrites preaching the so-called ‘gospel’
So, Bailey, the self-proclaimed Buffalo, squandered quite a few chances not just to score brownie points, but to genuinely assist the ladies’ teams and for once fight for what is right and make a positive contribution – this could surely come back to haunt him!
Apart from the reports that his organisation allegedly conned the people of Palestine out of their “Haq” (what is owed and due to them), he also allowed a R4 Million sponsorship in Masita to slip through his fingers.
Now, the Masita agreement between Safa CT and the former’s owner, Vivek Kohli, was straightforward – All Kohli desired was for the region to set up shop with Masita apparel for the Indian-born businessman to grow and increase the footprint of his Dutch-brand company, whereby Safa CT and the various LFA’s would also greatly benefit from in terms of apparel and equipment – but they couldn’t even do that and boom! Just like that, a multi-million-rand partnership down the drain.
This allegedly was also after close to R300 000 was spent on the launch of the Masita event at the Holiday Inn in Woodstock. Now, Kohli could have saved face and his company the embarrassment had he consulted with proper footballing people.
They would have reminded the Indian-born businessman about the dangers and would have posed a question like: “How could you have expected the Mother body, who operates out of a ‘garage at Rygate’ to set up shop for you? I mean, just look at the facts .
Safa CT have operated like nomads for the previous eight years, as they cannot even secure a place they can call home, so how the hell would they have been able to do this for Kohli? It’s quite sad and ludicrous at the same time if one thinks about it.
Safa Cape Town was kicked out by the Cape District Football Association some years ago and that is how they ended up at the Johnson Road Sports Complex in Rylands, where they occupy the space with the Rygate LFA, as well as the DA councillor Aslam Cassiem.
This is how an organisation of close to 120 000 registered members conducts its business. This tells the region’s constituents how serious and progressive they are, doesn’t it? Do they really want to carry on for another four years of this turmoil? Haibo!
PHOTO CREDIT: Karl Ronnie
