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‘Release the PSL from capture’

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ANTAGONIST Black Leopards boss David Thidiela has launched an attack against PSL boss Irvin Khoza. Picture: BackpagePix
ANTAGONIST Black Leopards boss David Thidiela has launched an attack against PSL boss Irvin Khoza. Picture: BackpagePix

In what could shake South African football to its core, embattled Black Leopards boss David Thidiela has launched a scathing attack on PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza.

In a seven-page letter sent to Safa – and copied to the PSL and world football governing body Fifa – Thidiela calls for the two bodies to institute a commission of inquiry into the National Soccer League (NSL).

The NSL trades as the PSL, and Thidiela uses the acronyms interchangeably in his letter.

In his introduction, the Lidoda Duvha boss writes: “The PSL is completely captured. Individuals, structures of the NSL, match officials, etc are manipulated for the self-interest of one man, or a few who surround or are appointed by him, to wage personal battles; to maintain the exercise of unfettered control or authority over PSL; to ensure self- or enrichment of the selected few – an inevitable compelling call for a commission of inquiry into the NSL.”

Then, under the heading Factual Submission, he goes for the jugular: “It is my submission that being summoned to appear before the same disciplinary committee has nothing to do with discipline within the NSL or PSL, but has to do with ulterior motives against the Black Leopards Football Club (BLFC) and me, simply because of BLFC and I being more vocal about a PSL that is held at hostage by one man or through a few who surround or are appointed by him. This one man is none other than Irvin Khoza (the current PSL chair).”

The disciplinary committee appearance that Thidiela is referring to is scheduled for Tuesday.

He will have to answer to charges of bringing the league into disrepute when he abused referee Victor Hlungwani in September after his club’s match at Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo, which they lost 1-0 to Bloemfontein Celtic.

He insulted the referee and used a tribalistic slur. The league then put Thidiela, who also serves on its executive committee, under “cautionary suspension”.

AFFIRMATIVE Safa Acting CEO Russell Paul has received Thidiela’s letter. Picture: Supplied

In his letter, Thidiela goes on to state: “I reiterate further that the PSL is completely captured. Therefore, by the same token as the facts which led to the detection of the grounds which gave a rise to the noble course embarked upon by the South African commission of inquiry into the state capture, the purpose of this letter is to highlight to both Safa and Fifa compelling reasons why, for the sake of progress in the PSL, it is imperative that Fifa, in conjunction with Safa, should institute a commission of inquiry into the extent to which the PSL is captured by the current PSL chair or a few who surround or are appointed by him.

“The noble task of the commission of inquiry into PSL, envisaged herein above, needs men and women who are truthful and brave enough to, if needs be, lay down their lives to release the PSL from the shackles of oppression by the current PSL chairperson or a few who surround or are appointed by him.

“By means of non-exhaustive illustrative examples herein under, I raise my hand to be counted as one of those men and women who are prepared to lay down their lives for, once and for all, release the NSL from a very tight and sophisticated capture.”

Thidiela then details the long-standing feud between him and Khoza dating back to the 1980s.

He writes about how he served in the then SA Police (now the SA Police Service, or Saps) from 1971 to 1988, and was promoted to a detective in the Murder and Robbery Squad in 1976.

“It was during the period of my career as a detective in the Saps that I interacted extensively with the current PSL chairperson. I was involved in a number of investigations of some serious allegations during my time as a police detective.

“Ultimately, in 1988, I, on full-time basis, started working for the league as chief of security, the responsibilities of which entailed, amongst others, gate-controller and the provision of security protection to the referees ... The current PSL chairperson never, ever stopped making life intolerable to me in the NSL.”

UNDER SIEGE PSL chair Irvin Khoza is being accused by a peeved David Thidiela of running the league with an iron fist. Picture: Trevor Kunene

In the letter, Thidiela claims: “The current PSL chairperson is so powerful – to the extent that they are capable of deciding the fate of individuals, clubs, some PSL officials, match officials and, consequently, the results of a match.

"Therefore, only through the envisaged commission of inquiry and the assistance from men and women who are prepared to lay down their lives in the interest of the PSL, will the truth come out and prevail.”

Thidiela goes on to claim that there is “manipulation of the PSL disciplinary committee to exert reprisals”.

One of the issues he raises to drive his point home is that Leopards were debited R422 272.82 “before the lapse of 14 days (debt), upon the filing of an appeal by the BLFC immediately the following day”.

He says this flew against the league’s constitution.

In conclusion, Thidiela prays for the following:

. “I be protected by Safa from appearing before the same PSL disciplinary committee portrayed herein above on December 11 2018 at 14:00 in respect of Case No. DC/886/18;

. “The current PSL executive, which is constituted by club owners, should be replaced by a neutral PSL executive; and

. “Finally, on the grounds already canvassed herein above, the envisaged commission of inquiry into the NSL be commissioned by Fifa in conjunction with Safa as a matter of urgency.”

Thidiela continues: “I hope that in the best interest of the NSL, this will find objective minds of men and women of goodwill.”

NAY Acting PSL CEO Mato Madlala says she has not seen Thidiela’s letter. Picture: Sabelo Mngoma / Backpagepix

Attempts to solicit comment from Khoza failed as his cellphone went unanswered, despite repeated attempts by City Press to contact him from Friday until the time of going to press.

Asked for comment yesterday, PSL acting chief executive officer Mato Madlala said: “The PSL has not received that letter. I wonder which email address he sent it to. But, as I speak to you right now, it has not reached my office.”

On Friday, Safa’s acting chief executive, Russell Paul, confirmed that he had received Thidiela’s letter: “We have received the letter and referred it to the two relevant committees, being the legal and constitutional affairs committee and the ethics and integrity committee.”

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