Following the five-year ban of former Safa CEO Leslie Sedibe and three other officials including East London’s Ace Kika for their alleged roles in the 2010 match-fixing scandal, former Safa vice-president and acting president MWELO NONKONYANA believes the matter will not be put to bed until an independent judicial commission of inquiry is established. Daily Dispatch reporter ZINGISA MVUMVU spoke to him.
Question: What was your reaction to the latest ban imposed on former CEO Leslie Sedibe and the two former heads of Safa’s refereeing department, Steve Goddard and Adeel Carelse?
Answer: It was shocking to me and a surprise. As you know this matter was handled (way back) by Safa and the officials fingered are no longer working for Safa.
I do not think the people that have been banned were given a fair hearing.
In my view people who are credible and may be innocent are being destroyed by all the insinuations while the big fish are swimming somewhere in the sea.
Q: What should be done to put this matter to bed?
A: I think it is time that the government of South Africa and Safa establish an independent judicial commission of inquiry because I do not think the whole truth about this matter has been told.
As you may know, we did indicate at the time that all the people who were mentioned in the initial report should be probed while we conduct an inquiry in South Africa.
This was not to say they were guilty but to give them an opportunity to clarify because it was shocking to find out about this from Fifa.
Q: Why a commission of inquiry?
A: When this matter was reported to us (Safa) in December 2011 we received a report from (Fifa investigator) Chris Eaton who said he had investigated this matter and he had a prima facie view that some of the officials were implicated, and directed Safa to take action.
We approached retired Chief Justice Pius Langa to assist as an independent investigator.
Then we heard that the matter was taken back to Fifa who instituted a process that was hostile to all the people who were banned without being heard.
Q: Why do you believe a judicial commission of inquiry will arrive at a different conclusion?
A: What is puzzling is that this thing is targeting only people who are no longer with Safa. Our view then was that everyone mentioned – including the current CEO Dennis Mumble who was named in the report – explain themselves.
Also strange was that as an aspiring CEO, Mumble, then the chief operating officer, decided to report this matter to Fifa without telling CEO Sedibe and the national executive committee.
So the insinuations that these people are being used as scapegoats are going to stay. Hence my view that the independent commission of inquiry is the only answer.
Q: Are you saying there are people who are still in Safa who were involved in the match-fixing?
A: Well... I cannot say that... but the match-fixing is something I was not aware of. What I find strange is, if Mumble was aware of this thing, why did he not report it to us as the leadership of Safa so we can investigate? Why were we interfered with when we wanted an independent retired judge to investigate?
There was the issue of the Safa presidency. Kirsten Nematandani was mentioned in the initial match-fixing report and then there was a dark cloud over him and he went on to lose that position. That was unfairness. Then the person we were told reported this issue to Fifa – Mumble – was a chief operating officer (COO) under Sedibe. Did he not sabotage him? And why did he do that?
Q: Who reported the match-fixing allegations to Fifa in the first place?
A: We were told that it was Dennis Mumble. The question is who mandated him to do that? We want him to explain.
Q: Will the big fish you mentioned earlier or the mastermind ever be caught?
A: I believe so because fortunately we have a new Fifa leadership now. This leadership has taken a stance that it will clear all the cabals that were there before and administer football fairly.
Q: You are also the legal representative of one of the implicated officials, Ace Kika, who also got banned last year. What is the latest on that one?
A: We were promised by Fifa a response to issues we raised but last time I checked Fifa had not responded. Ace was banned without being heard. His rights were trampled upon and the rights of others who have been banned.
Q: On other things, have you finally accepted your expulsion from Safa?
A: No I have not.
The matter is still before the court and I believe it will be heard soon. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
Big fish not yet hooked, says Nonkonyana
Question: What was your reaction to the latest ban imposed on former CEO Leslie Sedibe and the two former heads of Safa’s refereeing department, Steve Goddard and Adeel Carelse?
Answer: It was shocking to me and a surprise. As you know this matter was handled (way back) by Safa and the officials fingered are no longer working for Safa.
I do not think the people that have been banned were given a fair hearing.
In my view people who are credible and may be innocent are being destroyed by all the insinuations while the big fish are swimming somewhere in the sea.
Q: What should be done to put this matter to bed?
A: I think it is time that the government of South Africa and Safa establish an independent judicial commission of inquiry because I do not think the whole truth about this matter has been told.
As you may know, we did indicate at the time that all the people who were mentioned in the initial report should be probed while we conduct an inquiry in South Africa.
This was not to say they were guilty but to give them an opportunity to clarify because it was shocking to find out about this from Fifa.
Q: Why a commission of inquiry?
A: When this matter was reported to us (Safa) in December 2011 we received a report from (Fifa investigator) Chris Eaton who said he had investigated this matter and he had a prima facie view that some of the officials were implicated, and directed Safa to take action.
We approached retired Chief Justice Pius Langa to assist as an independent investigator.
Then we heard that the matter was taken back to Fifa who instituted a process that was hostile to all the people who were banned without being heard.
Q: Why do you believe a judicial commission of inquiry will arrive at a different conclusion?
A: What is puzzling is that this thing is targeting only people who are no longer with Safa. Our view then was that everyone mentioned – including the current CEO Dennis Mumble who was named in the report – explain themselves.
Also strange was that as an aspiring CEO, Mumble, then the chief operating officer, decided to report this matter to Fifa without telling CEO Sedibe and the national executive committee.
So the insinuations that these people are being used as scapegoats are going to stay. Hence my view that the independent commission of inquiry is the only answer.
Q: Are you saying there are people who are still in Safa who were involved in the match-fixing?
A: Well... I cannot say that... but the match-fixing is something I was not aware of. What I find strange is, if Mumble was aware of this thing, why did he not report it to us as the leadership of Safa so we can investigate? Why were we interfered with when we wanted an independent retired judge to investigate?
There was the issue of the Safa presidency. Kirsten Nematandani was mentioned in the initial match-fixing report and then there was a dark cloud over him and he went on to lose that position. That was unfairness. Then the person we were told reported this issue to Fifa – Mumble – was a chief operating officer (COO) under Sedibe. Did he not sabotage him? And why did he do that?
Q: Who reported the match-fixing allegations to Fifa in the first place?
A: We were told that it was Dennis Mumble. The question is who mandated him to do that? We want him to explain.
Q: Will the big fish you mentioned earlier or the mastermind ever be caught?
A: I believe so because fortunately we have a new Fifa leadership now. This leadership has taken a stance that it will clear all the cabals that were there before and administer football fairly.
Q: You are also the legal representative of one of the implicated officials, Ace Kika, who also got banned last year. What is the latest on that one?
A: We were promised by Fifa a response to issues we raised but last time I checked Fifa had not responded. Ace was banned without being heard. His rights were trampled upon and the rights of others who have been banned.
Q: On other things, have you finally accepted your expulsion from Safa?
A: No I have not.
The matter is still before the court and I believe it will be heard soon. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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